Three members of the Nelons, a Gospel Music Affiliation Corridor of Fame quartet and the chairman of the board overseeing the Georgia Division of Corrections, had been amongst seven folks killed in a airplane crash in Wyoming, in keeping with a press release by a bunch member who was not aboard the plane.
The Nelons co-founder, Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, and their daughter, Amber Nelon Kistler died within the crash Friday (July 26) afternoon, in keeping with a press release from one other daughter, Autumn Nelon Streetman. She is the fourth member of the Georgia-based quartet.
“Thanks for the prayers which have been prolonged already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born child boy, in addition to Jason’s mother and father, Dan and Linda Clark,” Nelon Streetman stated. “We respect your continued prayers, love and assist as we navigate the approaching days.”
Additionally killed within the crash had been Nelon Kistler’s husband, Nathan Kistler, household buddy Melodi Hodges, and Larry and Melissa Haynie, in keeping with Nelon Streetman.
There have been no survivors.
Larry Haynie was chairman of the Georgia Board of Corrections and was remembered for “a profession of valued public service,” in keeping with a press release from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
“Our whole household is asking everybody to hitch us in praying for individuals who have been misplaced, for his or her family members and communities, and for these all through the gospel music group who’ve misplaced expensive mates on this heartbreaking accident,” Kemp stated.
The group was touring to hitch the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska, in keeping with a press release from Gaither Music Group, the sponsor of the cruise that options quite a few gospel singers and teams.
Gaither Music stated Hodges was an assistant for the band and that Larry Haynie was pilot of the plane and Melissa Haynie was his spouse. The plane was recognized as a single engine turboprop Pilatus PC-12/47E.
The crash occurred about 1 p.m. in Campbell County, Wyoming, north of Gillette and about 250 miles (402 kilometers) north of Cheyenne, in keeping with a press release from Campbell County spokesperson Leslie Perkins.
Campbell County Hearth Division Jeff Bender stated in a press release Saturday {that a} hearth attributable to the crash has been contained to lower than one sq. mile and that firefighters would stay on the scene all through the day.
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board spokesperson Keith Holloway stated Saturday that preliminary info indicated the airplane crashed following an “auto pilot problem throughout flight” and a crew of investigators was headed to the positioning.
“The plane is in a distant location and as soon as they acquire entry, they are going to start documenting the scene, analyzing the plane,” Holloway stated. “The plane will then be recovered and brought to a safe facility for additional analysis.”
A preliminary report on the crash is anticipated in about 30 days whereas a last report with the possible reason for the crash might take as much as two years to finish, Holloway stated.
The Nelons had been inducted into the Gospel Music Affiliation Corridor of Fame in 2016 and had been winners of 10 GMA Dove Awards, together with a number of music of the 12 months and album of the 12 months awards.