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Plane crash claims seven, including members of award-winning gospel group The Nelons

From left, Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Clark and Amber Nelon Kistler. They're leaning over a colorful striped table and smiling into the camera.
Gaither Music
From left, Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Clark and Amber Nelon Kistler.

This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.

A deadly plane crash near the Montana-Wyoming border north of Gillette on July 26 sparked a wildfire and killed seven people.

Gaither Music, a prominent Christian music company, released a statement identifying the people aboard the plane as members of The Nelons, an award-winning gospel music group.

The Nelons are a four-piece family group. They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2016 and have won multiple awards in their genre.

The Nelons members Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, their daughter Amber and her husband Nathan Kistler, their assistant Melodi Hodges, and pilot Larry Haynie and his wife, Melissa, all died in the crash. Haynie was chairman of the Georgia Department of Corrections Board.

Gaither Management Group said the plane was traveling to Billings and then Seattle, to participate on a gospel music cruise to Alaska put on by Gaither Music.

The fourth member of The Nelons, Autumn Nelon Streetman, was not aboard the plane.

“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,” Streetman said in a statement.

Gaither Music said the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident.

A small wildfire sparked by the crash is now fully contained.

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