Amelia Palmer, a Boise, Idaho native and Rodeo star, passed away on Monday, September 1, 2025, in a tragic plane crash at an untimely age of 13, leaving her family, friends, and loved ones devastated.
According to reports, a tragic plane crash in Sheridan County claimed the life of the 13-year-old, Amelia Palmer, and left three of her family members seriously injured.
The Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office reported that the Sheridan Law Enforcement Center first received calls about possible missing or injured individuals within the Bighorn National Forest.
Soon after, additional reports indicated that an aircraft may have gone down in the area. A dispatched aircraft later confirmed a crash site west of Big Mountain.
Furthermore, emergency crews located the wreckage of a four-seat Piper PA-28 passenger plane, which had been carrying four members of the Palmer family.
Amelia Palmer was pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.
The other passengers were identified as Amelia’s 11-year-old brother Aeron, her mother, Cindy Palmer, 53, and her father, Earl Palmer, 54.
Likewise, the untimely death of Amelia Palmer has left a profound void in the lives of her loved ones.
Many of her loved ones are recalling the memories of late Amelia and paying tribute to their beloved Rodeo.
Amelia Palmer won the hearts of many with her amazing horse riding skills. She recently became the 2024/2025 Treasure Valley Rodeo Mini Queen and second runner-up to 2026 Miss Junior Rodeo Idaho.
Her cheerful and kind nature, along with her exceptional athletic skills, will always be remembered.
Late Amelia Palmer’s Parents, Earl and Cindy, Are Still in Critical Condition
Amelia Palmer’s parents, Earl Palmer and Cindy Jorgensen Palmer, sustained serious injuries after the tragic plane crash and are currently in critical condition, fighting for their lives in the ICU.
According to reports, Cindy and Earl were pinned beneath the wreckage and required assistance from a Wyoming National Guard helicopter, which was flown in to lift the plane off them.
Amelia’s brother, Aeron, 11, who managed to call 911 after the crash, was transported by ambulance to Sheridan Memorial Hospital and suffered minor injuries.
Earl and Cindy were airlifted to Billings Clinic’s trauma center in Montana.
According to a GoFundMe page created by Boise, Idaho, Earl will need major reconstructive surgeries. The community requests donations to cover their medical expenses and support the Palmer family in this devastating situation.
The report states that Earl Palmer was working for Bighorn Airways as a pilot and that he was previously involved in a crash with the potential for loss of life while flying a helicopter for the Department of the Interior out of Boise.
He was also involved in a 2016 aircraft mishap, flying a fixed-wing plane. Earl’s LinkedIn profile shows that he has been serving as the fixed-wing specialist at the Department of the Interior since 2009.
Regarding Cindy Jorgensen Palmer, although not much is known about her professional journey, her Facebook page indicates that she is a native of Redmond, Oregon, and a former Wildland Firefighter with the US Forest Service.
Cindy serves as the Rappel Crew at U.S. Forest Service-Malheur National Forest.
Likewise, the Federal Aviation Administration released a preliminary statement on the incident, noting only that the aircraft had crashed under unknown circumstances.’ The cause remains under investigation.
The whole Boise, Idaho, community is praying for the speedy recovery of Cindy and Earl and mourning the loss of beloved Amelia Palmer.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Amelia Palmer was born in June 2012. Her family has yet to provide details about her funeral and memorial services.
- FAA records show that the 1965 single-engine plane is registered to Travis Austin Peden of Sheridan, a former chief pilot for Bighorn Airways Inc., a company providing both private and contracted flights out of Sheridan.
