A teenage girl was killed and three others injured in a plane crash in Wyoming’s Bighorn National Forest, according to officials.
The Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of injured people and, later, a possible crash near Big Mountain around 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 1, according to a news release.
In addition to the sheriff’s office, other agencies such as Sheridan Area Search and Rescue, Wyoming Regional EMS, and First Flight contributed to the effort.
“First Flight was able to fly over the area of the potential crash site and confirmed there was evidence of a plane crash in the area west of Big Mountain,” according to the news release.
Officials found a 13-year-old dead, 3 others injured
When crews arrived at the crash site, they discovered a 13-year-old dead at the scene, the release said.
Three other people, identified as members of the same family, sustained serious injuries. The relatives’ ages are 11, 53, and 54. They were transported to various hospitals in Wyoming and Montana via airlift.
The Sheridan County Coroner recovered the deceased teenager, officials said.
Sheridan County Sheriff Levi Dominguez issued a statement saying, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.”
The Federal Aviation Administration was dispatched to the scene to conduct an investigation.
‘Pure sunshine’: Teen girl killed in crash has been identified
The Sheridan County Coroner’s Office identified the 13-year-old crash victim as Amelia Palmer in an interview with USA TODAY on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Her cause of death was blunt force injuries to the head and neck.
Palmer had participated in pageants, according to the Idaho Statesman, and Miss Rodeo Idaho Inc. acknowledged her death in a tribute post.
The teen was “the 2024/2025 Treasure Valley Rodeo Mini Queen and second runner-up to 2026 Miss Junior Rodeo Idaho,” according to a statement released on Facebook on September 2.
“Amelia, you were pure sunshine and brought joy to everyone you met,” the statement read. “Our rodeo family won’t be the same without you, and our hearts are truly broken today.”
The Idaho Statesman reported that the injured passengers were her parents, Earl and Cindy Palmer, and her brother Aeron.
