Small Plane Crashes, Killing Young Rodeo Queen Amelia Palmer

Written by Parriva — September 3, 2025

This week, during the Labor Day celebrations, a four-seat Piper PA-28 plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming.

The accident killed 13-year-old Amelia Palmer, who had recently been crowned Treasure Valley Mini Rodeo Queen and was the runner-up in Miss Junior Rodeo Idaho 2026, according to a heartfelt tribute from the Miss Rodeo Idaho organization.

Authorities confirmed that Amelia was found dead at the scene of the crash. Her family—her parents, Earl Palmer, 54, and Cindy Palmer, 53, and her younger brother, Aeron, 11—were seriously injured.

They were stabilized at the scene by rescue teams and airlifted to nearby hospitals.

According to a GoFundMe post created to support the family, the father will require “major reconstructive surgeries,” while Cindy is in critical condition, and Aeron suffered minor injuries but held his own during the rescue efforts.

The Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office said search and rescue teams, emergency medical services, airport personnel, and other professionals made an “exceptional coordinated effort” to care for the victims at a still-fluxing scene.

Authorities are urging the public to stay away from the area while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigate the cause of the crash.

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