Plane Crash Kills CBS Meteorologist in Idaho River

A small plane crashed into the icy Payette River in Gem County, Idaho, on Tuesday morning, killing two men, including a longtime chief meteorologist for a local CBS affiliate. The victims were identified as Roland Steadham, 67, and Dallin Laufenberg, 26, of Meridian. The incident occurred shortly before 11 a.m. near Montour, west of Emmett.

Authorities reported that the aircraft clipped a power line before plummeting onto the frozen river in the Black Canyon area. The Gem County Sheriff's Office received a call about the crash at 10:56 a.m. and dispatched deputies and fire and emergency medical services personnel to the scene, located near a jet ski park turnout. Both occupants suffered fatal injuries, and rescue teams used boats to reach the wreckage amid freezing conditions. The crash also caused a significant power outage in the eastern part of the county, which utility crews addressed once the area was secured.

Online flight data indicated the plane departed from Emmett Airport at 10:43 a.m. and lost contact about 12 minutes later. The aircraft was registered to Northwest Registered Agent LLC. Investigators recovered GoPro cameras from the wreckage, which could provide...