The plane that crashed and killed three members of The Nelons gospel group lost autopilot and was seen “in a barrel roll maneuver” shortly before going down, according to a preliminary report of the wreck.
The report was released by the National Transportation Safety Board nearly a month after the July 26 plane crash that killed six passengers and the pilot.
The Nelons co-founder Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler all died in the crash, their daughter and fourth band member Autumn Nelon Streetman confirmed in a statement.
Amber’s husband Nathan Kistler, their assistant Melodi Hodges, the pilot Larry Haynie, and his wife Melissa Haynie were also killed in the crash.
The new report revealed that the pilot had called in an emergency after losing autopilot. He reportedly told the Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Center controller that he was attempting to regain control of the aircraft shortly before the crash.
Nearby witnesses saw the plane losing control before crashing, with one even being able to hear the moment of impact.
“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 report read.
“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 Nelons had been en route to Alaska to perform on a week-long cruise departing the following day. Nelon Streetman was not on the same plane as the rest of her family and arrived safely in Seattle.
Nelon Streetman released the family’s final album on Aug. 30, which they had just finished recording in early July.
A full report for the probable cause of the crash could take up to two years to be completed.