Pilot declared emergency before plane crash that killed 3 members of The Nelons: NTSB

The pilot of the plane that crashed in July and resulted in the deaths of three members of an Atlanta gospel group The Nelons said he lost autopilot and declared an emergency before the crash, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board.

On July 26, all seven people aboard, including the pilot, members of the gospel group, and three others, were killed when the plane was destroyed in a crash near Recluse, Wyoming, stated the report.

The group was on its way to a Gaither Homecoming Cruise in Alaska, according to a statement from Gaither Music Management Group. 

In the last portion of the flight, the pilot reported losing autopilot to the Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Center controller and declared a state of emergency.

When the controller asked the pilot how he would land, he did not receive a response initially. But the pilot later told him he was trying to regain control of the plane.

The controller then said that should the pilot need further assistance, to let them know and advised the pilot of the minimum instrument flight rules, to which the pilot did not respond.

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What happened after contact was lost?

Once contact with the plane was lost, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an Alert Notice, and local law enforcement later found the plane 12 miles northeast of Recluse, Wyoming.

There was a “'loud whining noise,' that diminished and then increased followed shortly thereafter by smoke emanating from the area of the accident site," stated a witness, according to the report.

Another witness said they saw the plane do a "barrel roll" while its engine roared loudly. Shortly after, the witness heard the plane crash into terrain and saw smoke in the area.

Fragments of the plane were found scattered in a 300 ft radius, according to the report. The left wing of the plane was found broken in two pieces along the debris path 0.8 miles from the wreckage.

"The airplane wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further examination," stated the report.

Who was killed in the crash?

Those killed in the crash were Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, Amber and Nathan Kistler, and their assistant, Melodi Hodges. The pilot, Larry Haynie, and his wife, Melissa, were also among those who lost their lives, the statement said.

"As many of you have heard by now, my father and mother, Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, along with my sister, Amber and brother-in-law, Nathan, as well as our dear friends Melodi Hodges, Larry and Melissa Haynie were involved in a tragic plane crash on Friday," Autumn Nelon Streetman, the daughter of Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, said in a statement at the time of the crash. "Thank you for the prayers that have been extended already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark. We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the coming days."

Larry Haynie was also the chairman of the Georgia Department of Corrections Board, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp confirmed in a statement in July.

Kemp said in the statement posted to social media that Haynie's "impact on our state will not be forgotten."

Who were The Nelons?

The Nelons were a beloved gospel music family quartet based out of Atlanta, comprised of Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark and her daughters Amber Nelon Kistler and Autumn Nelon Streetman.

Nelon Streetman, who was not on board the plane, is the only surviving member of the group. She and her husband, Jamie Streetman, had arrived in Seattle and were informed of the crash, the Gaither Music statement said.

The group, formerly The Rex Nelon Singers, was first formed in 1977 by Rex Nelon as a spinoff of the group The Lefevres.

The Nelons were inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2016.