Cause Revealed in Plane Crash That Killed 3 Members of Grammy-Nominated Family Band and 4 Others

More details about The Nelons’ fatal 2024 plane crash are finally coming to light. The National Transportation and Safety Bureau recently published the final report on the Wyoming crash, which killed three members of the gospel band, as well as four others.

Atlanta’s WSB obtained the report, which cited a combination of weather conditions and the pilot’s distraction as the reasons for the crash.

Former Georgia Department of Corrections Board Chairman Larry Haynie was piloting the plane. The report states that he got distracted when the autopilot program disconnected as the plane hit an updraft from convective activity.

He proceeded to lose control of the aircraft, prompting the deaths of Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, and Kelly’s daughter, Amber Nelon Kistler.

The family were three of the four members of The Nelons, a Grammy-nominated gospel group. The band also included Amber’s sister, Autumn Nelon Streetman, who was not on board the plane at the time of the crash.

Amber’s husband, Nathan Kistler, and their assistant, Melodi Hodges, also died in the crash, as did the pilot and his wife, Melissa Haynie.

The passengers were heading to perform at the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska when the incident occurred.

What to Know About The Nelons

In 1977, Kelly’s father, Rex, started The Nelons as a spin-off of another family gospel group, The LeFevres. Kelly assumed control of the group after her father’s retirement in the ’90s.

Speaking to People at the 2025 Grammy Awards, Autumn said that she planned to continue her family’s legacy.

“When you get that call, it’s just a shock. You just never think something like that’s gonna happen to you,” she said. “Then the question runs through my mind, ‘Why? Why did God leave me here?’ I’m always the quiet one. For me to have to carry a legacy on is a huge undertaking, but I’m gonna honor and do the best that I can.”

That year, The Nelons’ album, Loving You, was nominated for Best Roots Gospel Album. Autumn released the LP one month after the devastating crash.

“There was no question in my mind that I was going to. I was like, ‘No, the people need to hear these songs of hope,’” she said. “I know how much encouragement they’ve brought me, and what I’m personally walking through right now. And so I knew that the Lord wanted us to keep that album going. I think it’s brought a lot of hope and encouragement to other people out there, just like it’s brought me too.”

Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

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