Plane Crash Kills Teen Pageant Queen Described as 'Pure Sunshine,' Leaves 3 Other Family Members Injured Kimberlee SpeakmanSeptember 4, 2025 at 12:16 AM 0 Andrew Woodley/Universal Images Group via Getty A photo of Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming.
- - Plane Crash Kills Teen Pageant Queen Described as 'Pure Sunshine,' Leaves 3 Other Family Members Injured
Kimberlee SpeakmanSeptember 4, 2025 at 12:16 AM
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Andrew Woodley/Universal Images Group via Getty
A photo of Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming. -
Amelia Palmer — a 13-year-old Boise, Idaho pageant queen — was killed in a plane crash in Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming on Monday, Sept. 1
An 11-year-old boy, a 54-year-old male and a 53-year-old female — identified as her brother Aeron, father Earl and mother Cindy — were also found at the scene with "serious injuries"
Miss Rodeo Idaho Inc. remembered the 13-year-old as someone who was "pure sunshine" and who "brought joy to everyone [she] met"
A Boise, Idaho teen was killed, and three of her family members were injured in a plane crash on Labor Day.
The Sheridan County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) in Wyoming confirmed in a statement on Facebook that law enforcement responded to reports of a plane crash and "lost or injured subject(s)" in Bighorn National Forest on Monday, Sept. 1.
The sheriff's office noted that deputies worked alongside the Sheridan Area Search and Rescue (SASAR) and the Wyoming Regional EMS (WREMS) and were able to locate the plane crash "in the area west of Big Mountain."
"The rescue and medical teams arrived at the crash site and found a single engine aircraft with three patients and a 13-year-old female, who was confirmed deceased on scene," the statement read, noting that her body was later "transferred to the Sheridan County Coroner."
Sheridan County Sheriff's Office Facebook
A photo of a Sheridan County Sheriff's office car.
The teenager who was found dead at the scene was identified as 13-year-old Amelia Palmer on Instagram by Miss Rodeo Idaho Inc. The organization noted that she was crowned the 2024/2025 Treasure Valley Rodeo Mini Queen and was "second runner-up to 2026 Miss Junior Rodeo Idaho."
"Amelia, you were pure sunshine and brought joy to everyone you met. Our rodeo family won't be the same without you, and our hearts are truly broken today. Please join us in lifting her family up in prayer," the organization wrote in their tribute.
"When she's not horseback riding in the arena, barrel racing, or participating in 4-H with Boots & Bullets, you can find her at her Great Uncle Mark Blackburn's cattle ranch in Jamison, Oregon, or attending Working Ranch Horse 4-H clinics. Amelia also enjoys playing the cello, paddle boarding, and boating at the lake. She loves spending time outdoors, and on a relaxing day, you might find her listening to a good book and drawing," her bio on the Treasure Valley Rodeo website reads.
She was one of five siblings with a younger brother and three older brothers.
In their statement, the sheriff's office described the survivors of the crash as "an 11-year-old male, a 54-year-old male and a 53-year-old female, all of the same family." They were said to have suffered "serious injuries."
The survivors were identified by the Idaho Statesman as Earl Palmer, his wife Cindy Palmer and their son Aeron Palmer, Amelia's father, mother and younger brother. This was not confirmed by the sheriff's office as of Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Medical and rescue teams "worked to stabilize" the three patients before they were airlifted to nearby hospitals.
"The coordinated effort between all of the rescuers, EMS, medical teams, and aircraft personnel was exceptional," Sheridan County Sheriff Levi Dominguez said in the statement. "This was, and still is, a very fluid scene. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims' and their family."
The SCSO asked that people stay out of the area while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigated the incident. According to the Idaho Stateman, citing FAA reports, the plane was registered to Austin Travis Peden in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Kathi Roe, a friend of the Palmer's, told the Idaho Statesman that the family owns a farm.
"No words can express the huge loss our community has faced today, but more than that a family that has done so much for others and is the backbone of so many things," Roe wrote in a Facebook tribute confirmed by the Idaho Statesman.
She continued, writing, "The Palmers have all been such an integral part of my life since moving to Boise."
Roe remembered Amelia as "the sassy little neighbor girl who knocked on my door 8 years ago," writing that she became a "beautiful full of life teen."
Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty
The Sheridan County Airport (SHR) in Sheridan, Wyoming, US, on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023.
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"It was never boring with her around, she always made you smile, or laugh most of the time. She will have a piece of my heart forever and the utter devastation for the family I cant imagine," she wrote.
The concerned friend asked for prayers that "Cindy and Earl to recover fully from their injuries as they have 4 boys to care for and love" and described their son Aeron as "the amazing little hero that got his parents rescued and kept them safe."
According to a GoFundMe account confirmed to be legitimate by PEOPLE, "Cindy and Earl are both in critical condition and Aeron suffered minor injuries."
"Earl will need major reconstructive surgeries and Cindy is also in critical condition (extent of her injuries are unknown at this time)," the fundraiser noted, adding that the money raised woud assist with "medical bills, household bills, travel costs, and funeral costs."
PEOPLE reached out to the Sheridan County Sheriff's Office for additional information and to confirm the identities of the victims.
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