Roland Steadham, 67, chief meteorologist for CBS2 in Boise, died Tuesday morning after a small plane crashed onto the icy Payette River near Emmett, officials said. A second man also died. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are examining the cause.
Steadham was a familiar broadcast voice across southwest Idaho and a veteran forecaster with previous stops in Miami and Salt Lake City. The crash drew a multiagency response and prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and viewers. Authorities said the aircraft apparently clipped a power line shortly after takeoff before striking river ice. The second victim was identified by local officials as 26-year-old Dallin Laufenberg of Meridian. The investigation is in its opening phase, with federal teams collecting physical evidence and interviews while the community mourns a figure long associated with severe weather coverage on Boise television.
Emergency dispatchers began receiving 911 calls at about 10:58 a.m. Tuesday reporting a low-flying plane over the Payette River in Gem County. Responders reached a pullout near the river’s broad bend northwest of town within minutes, then used sleds and ropes to reach wreckage scattered across ice and snow. Deputies secured a perimeter from a turnout near the jet ski park as fire crews moved carefully to stabilize the fuselage. Investigators noted damage consistent with power-line contact leading toward the impact point on the river. By early afternoon, recovery teams removed the victims and staged major components for transport. Officials said the plane had departed Emmett Municipal Airport roughly a dozen minutes before the crash, and they did not immediately say who was at the controls.
Authorities said federal investigators will reconstruct the short flight using any available radar tracks, witness accounts, surveillance video and onboard electronics recovered at the scene. The Gem County coroner released Laufenberg’s name after notifying family. The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing airport records, including recent fueling and radio logs. The National Weather Service office serving southwest Idaho posted condolences, calling Steadham “a calm voice during the storm” who worked closely with the agency to relay urgent warnings. Station colleagues described him as an accomplished pilot, while investigators cautioned that it remains unknown who was flying when the aircraft struck the line. Utility crews documented arcing on the damaged span and isolated the circuit for safety during recovery operations.
Steadham joined Boise’s CBS affiliate after earlier stints in Utah and Florida, bringing a direct on-air style that emphasized clear language during fast-changing conditions. He regularly visited classrooms and civic groups and, in recent months, appeared at a local aviation program to speak about flying and forecasting in a mountainous state. Viewers often recalled his steady presence during wildfire smoke, ice storms and spring flood risk. Former coworkers in Miami and Salt Lake City noted his mentorship and dry humor in busy newsrooms. Friends said he loved time outdoors with family and maintained a deep enthusiasm for aviation that paralleled his broadcast career.
Investigators said a preliminary NTSB report usually arrives within about two weeks and will summarize basic facts such as time, location, aircraft identification and a short narrative. A final report with analysis and probable cause can take months to a year or more. In the near term, officials will conduct a detailed inspection of the airframe and powerplant, examine control continuity and review maintenance records. The FAA will assess whether any notices to air missions or airspace coordination were in effect. The Gem County coroner will complete standard post-crash examinations. Memorial plans had not been announced as of Thursday, and the station said it would air a fuller remembrance in coming days.
At the river, wind pushed loose snow across the ice while deputies marked fragments with yellow flags and technicians measured distances between the strike area and larger debris. Utility trucks idled near a roadside turnout as line crews assessed poles and insulators. In Boise, anchors delivered the news in measured tones, replaying clips of Steadham guiding viewers through past storms. “He cared about this community and he cared about getting it right,” one colleague said on air. Viewers posted notes recalling brief conversations at grocery stores and ballfields where he answered questions about weekend weather with the same patience he brought to prime time.
By late Thursday, the wreckage had been secured for federal inspection at a protected facility. Investigators said their next public milestone is the preliminary report expected in early February, followed by periodic docket updates as analysis proceeds.
Author note: Last updated January 30, 2026.