Three members of US family gospel group The Nelons have been killed in a plane crash, their management announced.
Jason Clark, Kelly Nelon Clark and their daughter Amber Kistler died on Friday, while taking the flight to perform on a cruise ship.
Seven people died in the crash in north-eastern Wyoming, including Amber Kistler’s husband, Nathan.
Campbell County’s Facebook page said that the crash happened at about 1pm, north of the town of Gillette, and sparked a wildfire.
On Instagram, Gaither Management Group wrote: “One of the best loved Gospel music families in America, The Nelons were involved in a tragic, fatal plane crash on Friday afternoon on their way to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska.
“Killed in the crash were Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, Amber and Nathan Kistler and their assistant, Melodi Hodges, along with the pilot, Larry Haynie and his wife, Melissa. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident.”
The youngest daughter of the Clarks, Autumn Nelon Streetman, was not on the plane and 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.
“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.”
According to Gaither Management Group, she was told of the crash in Seattle and “brought to the hotel where artists were gathered with Bill and Gloria Gaither to pray, sing and embrace them in their grief, pledging to support them in whatever needs arise”.
The Gaithers are gospel singers and their music-themed Alaska cruise was to sail from Seattle on Saturday before cruising through Puget Sound.
“Autumn and Jamie will return home for now to Kelly’s brother, Todd Nelon and his wife, Rhonda, to begin the hard tasks that lie ahead. Please keep them, the Kistler family, the Haynie family and the family of Melodi Hodges in your prayer,” the statement also said.
The Nelons, part of the Gaither Homecoming concert series, was started by Kelly’s father Rex Nelon, also known for The LeFevres, in the 1970s.
It was inducted into the Gospel Music Association’s Hall of Fame in 2016, and nominated for a best Southern Gospel album Grammy for the record Let The Redeemed Say So in 1990.
Kelly was also an actress, who appeared in the ABC fantasy drama Resurrection, and did re-enactments for the docu series Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda.
She was married to Jerry Thompson, who was also part of The Nelons.
Kelly then married Jason Clark, and he became the group’s lead singer.
A National Transportation Safety Board spokesman said that its team will be at the scene on Saturday, and preliminary reports say the Pilatus PC-12/47E aircraft crashed after an “auto pilot issue”.
“The aircraft is in a remote location and once they gain access, they will begin documenting the scene, examining the aircraft,” he said.
“The aircraft will then be recovered and taken to a secure facility for further evaluation.”
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days of the accident, and the end of the investigation can take one to two years to determine the “probable cause of the crash”.
