Three members of the 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 a flight to perform on a cruise ship.

Seven people died in the crash in north-east Wyoming, including Kistler’s husband, Nathan

The Campbell county Facebook page said the crash happened at about 1pm north of the town of Gillette and sparked a wildfire.

On Instagram, the 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.”

In a separate statement, a National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson said preliminary information indicated the plane crashed following an “autopilot issue during flight”. The agency had sent a team of investigators to the site for further examination, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that a preliminary report on the crash was expected in about 30 days. A final report with the probable cause of the crash could take up to two years to complete.

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 the Gaither Management Group, Streetman 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 traveling 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, were started by Kelly’s father, Rex Nelon, also known for the LeFevres, in the 1970s.

They were inducted into the Gospel Music Association (GMA) Hall of Fame in 2016. The group had also won 10 GMA Dove awards, including multiple prizes for song of the year and album of the year.

Kelly was also an actor who appeared in the ABC fantasy drama Resurrection and did re-enactments for the docuseries 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 spokesperson said its team would be at the scene of the crash on Saturday, and preliminary reports said the Pilatus PC-12/47E aircraft crashed after an “autopilot issue”.

“The aircraft is in a remote location and once they gain access they will begin documenting the scene, examining the aircraft,” the spokesperson said. “The aircraft will then be recovered and taken to a secure facility for further evaluation.”

The Associated Press contributed reporting

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