Three members of The longtime evangelical group Nilons was among seven people killed Friday in a plane crash near Gillette, Wyoming.
Kelly Nealon Clark — who had been a member of the singing group that has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame since 1977, when her father Rex Nealon founded the group — along with her husband and Nealon singer Jason Clark and their daughter Amber Nealon Kistler were killed in the crash, which occurred as Nealon was en route to his homecoming on the Gaither ship in Alaska. USA Today Reports.
“The Nelons, one of America’s most beloved gospel music families, were involved in a tragic and fatal plane crash Friday afternoon on their way to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska,” Gaither Management Group, which represents the Nelons, said in a statement Friday. “Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, Amber and Nathan Kessler, and their co-pilot, Melody Hodges, were killed in the crash, along with pilot Larry Haynie and his wife, Melissa.”
Jason and Kelly’s other daughter and Amber’s sister, Autumn Nealon Streetman — who is also a member of the Nealon family but instead, along with other Nealon family members, took a different flight on Friday that stopped in Seattle — added in a statement, “As many of you have heard by now, my parents, Jason and Kelly Nealon Clark, along with my sister Amber and brother-in-law Nathan, as well as our dear friends Melody Hodges and Larry and Melissa Haynie, were involved in a tragic plane crash on Friday. Thank you for the prayers that have already been extended to me, my husband Jamie and our soon-to-be-born child, as well as Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark. We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the days ahead.”
Gaither Management Group added that the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident. An NTSB spokesman said preliminary information indicates that the plane experienced an “autopilot system issue during flight.” Watchman Reports.
“The aircraft is in a remote location and once they get there they will begin documenting the scene and examining the aircraft, then the aircraft will be recovered and transported to a secure facility for further evaluation,” the company spokesperson added.
