The pilot of a plane that crashed in Wyoming in July, killing three of four members of renowned gospel group The Nelons, declared an emergency and loss of autopilot before going down, the National Transportation Safety Board determined in a new report.
The Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame singers were en route to perform on a cruise in Alaska when the plane crashed in northeastern Wyoming on July 26. All seven aboard the private jet were killed, including the six passengers and pilot. The NTSB has been investigating since then.
Among those killed were group co-founder Kelly Nelon Clark and her husband, Jason Clark along with their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler. Nelon Kistler’s husband, Nathan Kistler, the group’s assistant and family friend Melodi Hodges, pilot Larry Haynie and his wife, Melissa, also died in the crash.
The Nelons’ fourth member, daughter Autumn Nelon Streetman, was not onboard.
After taking off from Nebraska City Municipal Airport en route to a stopover in Billings, Montana, the single-engine Pilatus PC12-47E turboprop flew northwest, climbing to its maximum cruise altitude of 26,000 feet, the NTSB said. A series of abnormal maneuvers followed as the plane jerked sharply right while dropping more than 2,000 feet, then jolting upward to about 27,025 feet, and then turning slightly left before heading into a 180° right turn as it descended. Its last data point showed it heading south at 21,900 feet at about 300 mph, the NTSB said.
“During the last portion of the flight, the pilot reported to the Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Center controller the loss of the autopilot and declared an emergency,” the NTSB said, then told the control tower he was “trying to get control of the airplane,” his last contact.
“One witness located near the accident site heard a ‘loud whining noise’ that diminished and then increased followed shortly thereafter by smoke emanating from the area of the accident site,” the NTSB said. “Another witness observed the airplane overhead in a ‘barrel roll’ maneuver and heard the airplane’s engine ‘roaring loud’ until they heard the airplane impact terrain. The witness stated that they saw the smoke in the area shortly after.”
The plane was found in pieces in remote terrain, embedded 6 feet into the ground, the NTSB said.
The Nelons specialized in blending gospel, a cappella, hymns, “gospel, a cappella, hymns, Americana, folk and inspirational music,” their website description reads. They have more than 35 albums to their credit, including chart-topping “Come Morning,” “Thanks” and “We Shall Wear a Robe and Crown.”
With News Wire Services