Members of the beloved gospel group The Nelons died in a Wyoming plane crash while traveling to an Alaska music festival, leaving no survivors.
In a devastating loss to the Christian music community, a private plane crash in Wyoming on July 26, 2024, claimed the lives of several beloved individuals, including key members of the award-winning gospel group The Nelons. Early reports identified the victims as pilot Larry Haynie and his wife Melissa Haynie, family assistant Melodi (Melanie) Hodges, her daughter Amber Hodges Kistler and Amber’s husband Nathan Kistler, along with Jason Clark and Kelly Nelon Clark. The group was traveling aboard a single-engine turboprop aircraft when it went down in a remote field near Recluse, Wyoming.
Autumn Nelon Streetman, the fourth member of The Nelons and the sole surviving immediate family member, was not on the flight. In an emotional public statement, she expressed her profound sorrow, describing her grief as “indescribable” while thanking fans, friends, and the gospel music family for their prayers and overwhelming support during this unimaginable time.
The Nelons were en route to the Gaither Homecoming Cruise in Alaska, a prestigious gospel music event featuring some of the genre’s biggest names. The family group had been scheduled to perform, carrying forward their decades-long ministry of spreading messages of hope, faith, and redemption through song. As Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees, The Nelons had touched countless lives with their harmonious vocals and heartfelt lyrics, becoming a cornerstone of Southern gospel music.
