Roland Steadham, the longtime chief meteorologist at Boise’s CBS2, was killed Tuesday morning when a small plane crashed onto the icy Payette River after striking a power line, officials said. He was 67. A second man aboard also died. The aircraft went down just before 11 a.m. near a stretch of river northwest of town, drawing firefighters, deputies and federal investigators to the rural scene.
Steadham’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and viewers across Idaho, where he delivered forecasts for a decade and was a familiar presence during severe weather. Authorities said the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration opened a joint investigation to determine the cause, a process that will examine the plane’s condition, weather, the route after takeoff from Emmett’s airport and whether any mechanical or human factors contributed. Officials said the second victim’s name would be released after family notification.
Emergency dispatchers began receiving 911 calls around 10:58 a.m. Tuesday reporting a low-flying small plane near power lines over the Payette River in Gem County. Responders reached the area within minutes and found wreckage on a frozen span of the river, with debris scattered across ice and snow. Deputies set a perimeter from the jet ski park turnout west of Montour while firefighters used sleds and ropes to reach the site. Utility crews were summoned to assess damaged lines as investigators documented the arc marks and downed wire leading to the impact point. By early afternoon, recovery teams moved carefully across the ice to secure the fuselage and remove the victims as drones mapped the debris field for federal investigators, who arrived later in the day.
Officials said early indications are that the aircraft clipped a power line shortly after takeoff and then descended onto the river ice. Aviation and law enforcement records placed the departure from Emmett Municipal Airport roughly a dozen minutes before the crash. The NTSB will reconstruct the flight path using radar data where available, witness statements, surveillance video and any onboard electronics recovered from the wreckage. Authorities did not immediately identify who was at the controls. The small craft’s registration details and maintenance history will be part of the inquiry, which typically includes interviews with recent mechanics, fueling staff and acquaintances familiar with the planned route.
Steadham joined Boise’s CBS affiliate after earlier stints in Miami and Salt Lake City, bringing a blend of science and calm delivery that colleagues credited with steadying viewers during wildfire smoke, ice storms and spring flooding threats. He often visited classrooms and community events, and he was known among friends for an enthusiasm for flying and the outdoors. In recent months, he had appeared with students at a local aviation program and spoke about the work of forecasting in a state with mountains and microclimates that can complicate daily predictions. On air, he favored direct, clear language and relied on regional radar loops and satellite imagery he curated for quick reads during rapidly changing conditions.
Tributes began appearing within hours of the station’s announcement. Current and former coworkers described Steadham as “a calm voice during the storm,” recalling long nights in the newsroom during winter weather. Viewers posted notes about forecasts made memorable by his patience and close tracking of local valleys and passes. The National Weather Service office serving southwest Idaho shared condolences and emphasized the partnership it maintained with television meteorologists to relay urgent updates during severe events. Friends mentioned his large family and the enthusiasm with which he embraced grandparenthood, often weaving small anecdotes into lighter moments on the broadcast.
Investigators emphasized that the probe is in its early phase. Over the next few days, NTSB personnel will conduct a detailed airframe and powerplant examination, photograph control surfaces and look for pre-impact anomalies. The board’s preliminary report, typically issued within two weeks, will outline basic facts: time, location, aircraft registration, weather and a brief narrative. A final report with analysis and probable cause can take a year or more. In the meantime, the FAA will review any airspace coordination notifications and file records from Emmett Municipal, including radio logs and fueling receipts. Utility records documenting the affected power line will help determine the height and span where contact occurred.
The crash site sits along a broad, slow bend of the Payette, where winter temperatures leave a crust of ice broken by dark leads of open water. Midday Tuesday, wind carried snow across the river surface as deputies marked fragments with yellow flags and technicians used measuring tapes to record distances between the strike area and larger sections of wreckage. A tow team later winched components toward shore as crews cut safe paths across the ice. Utility trucks idled near a turnout while workers assessed poles and lines, and several homes in the area experienced brief outages as the line was isolated for recovery operations.
At CBS2’s studio in Boise, anchors delivered the news in restrained tones, replaying clips of Steadham guiding viewers through past storms. The station aired messages from local officials and the National Weather Service while promising a fuller remembrance in the days ahead. Former colleagues from stations in Miami and Salt Lake City posted remembrances about his mentorship and quick humor in hectic control rooms. Community members recalled meeting him at grocery stores and ballfields, where he answered questions about the weekend outlook with the same attention he gave to prime-time broadcasts.
Authorities said both victims’ remains were transported to the Gem County coroner. The second man’s identity will be confirmed through standard procedures before release. Officials did not say whether a mayday was transmitted or whether the aircraft carried a ballistic recovery parachute. Investigators declined to characterize the weather beyond describing daylight, cold temperatures and patchy clouds over the valley. The NTSB asked witnesses with photos or video to contact the agency to assist with the evidence record, part of the routine call for material that can clarify the plane’s attitude and altitude in the seconds before impact.
Steadham is survived by his wife and a large, close-knit family that includes six children and grandchildren. In notes shared publicly, relatives and coworkers emphasized his devout focus on family and the joy he took in get-togethers away from the studio lights. Plans for a public remembrance were not immediately announced. His colleagues said they would compile highlights of his decades-long career and the moments that endeared him to Idaho viewers, from steady coverage during atmospheric river events to quick explainers on inversion layers and snowmelt timing in the Boise River basin.
By late Wednesday, recovery at the river was complete and the wreckage had been secured for federal inspection in a protected facility. Investigators will release a brief, preliminary narrative in the coming weeks, followed by more detailed updates in the public docket. For now, viewers in Boise are mourning the loss of a broadcaster who guided them through storms for years as colleagues prepare tributes and federal teams begin the difficult work of explaining what went wrong.
Author note: Last updated January 28, 2026.