Seven killed in Wyoming plane crash involving gospel group The Nelons
A private plane crashed in a remote area of Campbell County, Wyoming, near Recluse, killing all seven people aboard. Among the victims were pilot Larry Haynie and his wife Melissa; family assistant Melodi Hodges; Amber Nelon Kistler and her husband Nathan Kistler; and Jason Clark and Kelly Nelon Clark, core members of the award-winning Southern gospel group The Nelons.
The sole surviving member of the immediate performing family, Autumn Nelon Streetman, was not on the flight. In a deeply emotional statement, she thanked fans and friends for their prayers and support, describing her grief as “indescribable.”
The group was traveling to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska, a major Christian music event featuring leading artists in the genre. The Nelons had been scheduled to perform as part of their long-standing ministry of sharing hope and faith through song.
The aircraft, a single-engine Pilatus PC-12 turboprop, departed Nebraska bound for Billings, Montana. The pilot declared an emergency after reporting loss of the autopilot and difficulty controlling the plane. Witnesses described hearing unusual engine noise and seeing the aircraft maneuver erratically before it crashed into a field and caught fire. Emergency crews responded quickly, but the wreckage was fully engulfed by the time they arrived. There were no survivors.
The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the cause.
