CBS Meteorologist Dies After Plane Crashes Into Icy River

A plane crash in Idaho has taken the life of a beloved meteorologist.

Authorities in Idaho have reported that CBS meteorologist Rolan Steadham has died after his plane crashed into an icy river.

According to the Gem County Sheriff’s Office, Steadham’s plane hit a power line before plunging into a frigid Boise River.

People reported more on the tragic plane crash:

A beloved meteorologist has been identified as one of two victims who died in a small plane crash in Idaho earlier this week.

On Tuesday, Jan. 27, Roland Steadham, the chief meteorologist for CBS2, was named as one of the people who died in the crash near Emmett earlier that day, CBS affiliate KBOI announced. He was 67.

“For the past decade, Roland Steadham guided people through storm after storm in Idaho,” the station wrote. “He loved to study the weather and shared it with people across Idaho. Roland’s excitement for the weather was contagious.”

According to the station, Steadham was a husband, father of six and grandfather. He was also an experienced pilot who “operated a small aircraft out of Emmett.”

CBS released a tribute for Steadham:

Roland Steadham, the chief meteorologist at CBS Boise affiliate KBOI, died in a small plane crash on Tuesday, his employer confirmed. The station reported that Steadham and one other person were aboard a plane that crashed into the Payette River near Emmett, Idaho.

Steadham is… pic.twitter.com/nYfbi1hLer

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) January 28, 2026

The Gem State Brief obtained photos of the aftermath:

A plane crashed into Payette River in Idaho pic.twitter.com/d28KRHlWor

— The Gem State Brief (@gemstatebrief) January 28, 2026

CBS reported Steadham was the pilot of the plane:

Steadham was a commercially licensed pilot and avid skydiver, according to his KBOI biography. His biography notes that he had “logged over 3,000 hours flying everything from competition aerobatics to twin-engine jets and gliders.”

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The plane appeared to have clipped a power line before crashing into the icy river, the Gem County Sheriff’s Office said. The crash was reported at 10:58 a.m. Tuesday, the office said. Both occupants were fatally injured in the crash, the office said.

The other occupant of the plane has not been publicly identified. KBOI and the sheriff’s office did not specify if Steadham was piloting the plane at the time of the crash.