The 3 Family Members Part of Gospel Group The Nelons Die in Plane Crash report concerns a July 26, 2024, Pilatus PC-12 crash near Recluse, Wyoming, that killed all seven people aboard, including Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Clark and Amber Nelon Kistler. The NTSB preliminary report records a reported autopilot loss and emergency declaration but no final probable cause.
The crash cut short the lives of three members of a family Southern Gospel group with decades of musical history. The available evidence identifies the victims and the aircraft’s final communications, while leaving the ultimate cause for the continuing investigation rather than speculation.
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Key takeaways
- The July 26, 2024, Pilatus PC-12 crash near Recluse, Wyoming, killed all seven people aboard.
- The three Nelons members killed were Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Clark and Amber Nelon Kistler.
- Autumn Nelon Streetman, the fourth principal member of The Nelons, was not aboard the aircraft.
- The NTSB preliminary report says the pilot reported losing the autopilot and declared an emergency, but it does not establish a final probable cause.
- The Nelons were a family Southern Gospel group inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2016.
What happened in the Nelons plane crash?
The Nelons plane crash occurred on July 26, 2024, near Recluse, Wyoming, when Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. PC-12/47E aircraft N357HE was destroyed and all seven people aboard were fatally injured. The flight was being operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report.
The aircraft departed Nebraska City Municipal Airport in Nebraska City, Nebraska, at approximately noon. Billings Logan International Airport in Billings, Montana, was the intended destination. NTSB-reviewed ADS-B data showed the aircraft climbed to approximately 26,000 feet mean sea level. Near the end of the flight, the aircraft maneuvered sharply, climbed to approximately 27,550 feet and then descended.
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The last recorded data point showed the aircraft on a southerly heading at approximately 21,900 feet, with a groundspeed of 256 knots. During the final portion of the flight, the pilot told Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Center that the aircraft had lost its autopilot and declared an emergency. When asked where he wanted to land, the pilot initially did not respond and later said he was trying to regain control. The controller provided additional assistance, including the minimum IFR altitude and current altimeter setting. No further response was received, according to the NTSB preliminary investigation report.
The NTSB identified the accident under investigation number WPR24FA257. The report describes a substantial debris path and post-impact fire, but those observations do not by themselves establish why the aircraft crashed.
Which Nelons members died in the Wyoming plane crash?
Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Clark and Amber Nelon Kistler were the three members of The Nelons killed in the crash. Kelly Nelon Clark was Amber Nelon Kistler’s mother, while Jason Clark was Kelly’s husband and Amber’s stepfather. Contemporary reporting identified the three family members among the seven fatalities, along with pilot Larry Haynie, his wife Melissa Haynie and the group’s assistant, Melodi Hodges. The full victim information should be checked against the latest official or local-authority record when a complete formal list is required; the relationships and names above are reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
| Person | Connection to The Nelons | Status in the July 26, 2024 crash |
|---|---|---|
| Kelly Nelon Clark | Nelons member and Amber’s mother | Killed |
| Jason Clark | Nelons member and Kelly’s husband; Amber’s stepfather | Killed |
| Amber Nelon Kistler | Nelons member and Kelly’s daughter | Killed |
| Autumn Nelon Streetman | Fourth principal member of The Nelons | Not aboard the aircraft |
Autumn Nelon Streetman was not on the aircraft. That distinction matters because early headlines and social-media posts sometimes compressed the family relationships or made it unclear which members of the group were aboard.
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What caused The Nelons plane crash?
The available NTSB report does not state a final probable cause. The report records the pilot’s statement that the aircraft had lost its autopilot and the pilot’s emergency declaration, but autopilot loss should not be presented as the sole or confirmed cause of the crash.
The NTSB document is explicitly a preliminary report. A preliminary report records early investigative information; it is not the same as a final determination assigning probable cause. The flight data, communications, aircraft systems, weather, pilot actions and other evidence may all be considered as an investigation progresses.
| Claim or description | What the available evidence supports | How to describe it accurately |
|---|---|---|
| Autopilot problem | The pilot reported losing the autopilot. | “The pilot reported an autopilot loss.” |
| Emergency | The pilot declared an emergency and said he was trying to regain control. | “The pilot declared an emergency during the final portion of the flight.” |
| Confirmed cause | The preliminary report does not establish one. | “The final probable cause had not been established in the available report.” |
| Pilot error, negligence or mechanical failure | The dossier does not provide a final official finding supporting any of these conclusions. | Do not state blame or a definitive mechanical cause as fact. |
The NTSB’s preliminary account also should not be treated as a final official conclusion that the aircraft broke apart in flight. Investigators described the debris distribution and fire as part of the accident scene examination, but those observations require technical interpretation in the completed investigation.
Where did the crash happen?
The aircraft crashed near Recluse, Wyoming. Recluse is the NTSB’s accident location; it should not be replaced with Gillette as though Gillette were the exact crash site. Gillette may be useful as a nearby-city reference in local reporting, but the official location in the preliminary report is near Recluse.
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Who were The Nelons?
The Nelons were a family Southern Gospel group rooted in the musical legacy of Rex Nelon. The group was formerly known as the Rex Nelon Singers and was formed in 1977, according to the Gospel Music Association’s 2016 Hall of Fame announcement.
The group’s family lineup included Kelly and Jason Clark and their daughters Amber and Autumn. The official Nelons website describes the family’s musical and religious tradition, its relationship with Daywind Records and a catalog of more than 35 albums. The catalog figure is historical information supplied by the group’s official site and does not mean that every release is currently in print or commercially available.
The Gospel Music Association announced The Nelons as 2016 Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees. The announcement also says that “Come Morning” reached the No. 1 position three times in non-consecutive months. The group’s official archive says the induction ceremony took place in Nashville in May 2016 and that Kelly Nelon Clark accepted the honor while recognizing her father, Rex Nelon.
“Amber, Autumn, Jason and Kelly still do a cappella harmony, and your daddy has to be smiling on you carrying on this beautiful tradition.”
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The same GMA announcement records a statement from The Nelons: “I want to thank all of the people who have been with us. Not just the singers. It really takes all of us together. I want to let them know that whatever they did was important to the Lord.” Those comments provide historical and musical context for the group’s career; they are not evidence about the aircraft accident.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How can readers hear The Nelons’ music?
Readers who want to hear The Nelons’ music can look for an authorized The Nelons CD or album. The group’s official website documents more than 35 albums, but availability, seller authenticity and authorization should be checked before buying because the available research does not verify a particular current listing or memorial product.
A physical recording or authorized catalog release is a more appropriate way to engage with the group’s musical legacy than unverified memorial merchandise. The official site’s reference to Daywind Records identifies a label relationship, but current inventory, rights-holder status and affiliate terms for a specific release were not verified in the available research.
What remains to be established?
The central unresolved question is the accident’s final probable cause. The NTSB preliminary report establishes that the pilot reported an autopilot loss and declared an emergency; it does not establish whether that report explains the entire sequence of events or whether other contributing factors were involved.
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For responsible coverage, later reporting should distinguish among a preliminary NTSB observation, a final NTSB determination, a contemporary news account and an interpretation or social-media claim. Until a later official report is located and cited, the most accurate summary is that investigators were examining an emergency involving reported autopilot loss and loss of control, while the final cause remained undetermined in the available report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Nelons members died in the plane crash?
The July 26, 2024, crash near Recluse, Wyoming, killed Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Clark and Amber Nelon Kistler, along with four other people aboard the aircraft. The three were members of the family Southern Gospel group The Nelons.
Did Autumn Nelon Streetman survive the crash?
Autumn Nelon Streetman was not aboard the aircraft and was not among the people killed in the crash. Streetman was the fourth principal member of The Nelons.
What caused The Nelons plane crash?
The NTSB preliminary report says the pilot reported losing the autopilot and declared an emergency, but the report does not establish a final probable cause. Autopilot loss should therefore not be described as the confirmed sole cause.
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Where did The Nelons plane crash?
The crash happened near Recluse, Wyoming. Recluse is the accident location identified in the NTSB preliminary report; Gillette should not be described as the exact crash site.
The Bottom Line
The July 26, 2024, crash near Recluse, Wyoming, killed Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Clark and Amber Nelon Kistler of The Nelons, along with four other people aboard the Pilatus PC-12. The NTSB preliminary report documents a reported autopilot loss and emergency declaration, but it does not establish a final cause. Autumn Nelon Streetman was not aboard.
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