Wyoming Plane Crash Kills Girl, Hospitalizes Her Family

A family outing turned tragic in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains on Labor Day when a plane crash claimed the life of a 13-year-old girl and left the rest of her Idaho family hospitalized. Authorities say the Palmer family's Piper PA-28 went down shortly after takeoff at Bighorn National Forest just before 5pm Monday. Amelia Palmer, 13, died at the scene, according to the Sheridan County Sheriff's Office. Her parents, Earl and Cindy Palmer, were airlifted to a trauma center in Billings, Montana, and remain in critical condition, per the Idaho Statesman. Their 11-year-old son, Aeron, was hospitalized with minor injuries.

Rescue efforts involved local EMS, medical teams, and aircraft personnel, who stabilized the survivors and recovered Amelia's body. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating, but the cause of the crash—reported to have occurred during the plane's initial climb—is still unknown. A local pilot notes the plane was 60 years old and "very close to gross weight if not over its limit," per KTVQ. The aircraft was registered to Austin Travis Peden of Sheridan, Wyoming, who is reported to have previously worked for a local air charter company.

Amelia was active in Idaho's rodeo circuit, recently holding the title of Treasure Valley Rodeo Mini Queen and earning recognition as a runner-up in the 2026 Miss Junior Rodeo Idaho competition. The organization said she was "pure sunshine and brought joy to everyone." Supporters have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with expenses, including farm and animal care. The page describes Earl Palmer as needing "major reconstructive surgeries."