Roland Steadham, a 67-year-old chief meteorologist at CBS2 in Boise, Idaho, died January 27, 2026, when his small aircraft clipped a power line and crashed onto the frozen Payette River near Emmett, Idaho. The crash also claimed the life of a second occupant, identified by the Gem County Coroner as Dallin Laufenberg, 26, of Meridian, Idaho.
The Gem County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash site at 10:58 a.m. local time. The location was west of Montour, Idaho, in Gem County, northwest of Boise. Preliminary information indicated the aircraft struck a power line before crashing on the ice covering the river.
Steadham had served as chief meteorologist at CBS2 for the past decade, building a reputation for his enthusiasm about weather patterns and his ability to guide viewers through severe weather events. His colleagues remembered his infectious excitement when discussing meteorological phenomena.
Aviation was more than a professional interest for Steadham. He was a commercially licensed pilot who owned a small aircraft and operated it out of Emmett. Recreational flying had become one of his cherished hobbies. He also maintained a YouTube aviation channel called the Plane Crazy Channel, where he shared his love of flying with a broader audience.
The aircraft involved in the crash was a Carbon Cub, though it was a loaner aircraft rather than Steadham’s own plane.
Steadham’s career in broadcast meteorology spanned multiple markets across the western United States and beyond. Before joining CBS2 in Boise, he served as chief meteorologist at KUTV 2News from 2005 to 2009. He also worked at KTVX in Salt Lake City in the same capacity.
Earlier in his career, Steadham spent a decade working in Miami, where he served as chief meteorologist at WTVJ-NBC6 from 1995 to 2005. During his time in South Florida, he covered numerous tropical weather systems and hurricanes, experiences that shaped his understanding of severe weather forecasting.
Steadham’s educational background included degrees from two Utah universities. He was a graduate of both Brigham Young University and the University of Utah, institutions that provided him with the scientific foundation for his meteorology career.
Beyond aviation, Steadham was known as an avid skydiver, demonstrating his comfort with aerial activities and his adventurous spirit.
Colleagues at CBS2 remembered Steadham not just for his professional accomplishments but for his devotion to his family. He was a father of six children and had several grandchildren. His wife, Erin, was frequently mentioned in conversations with coworkers. “He rarely had a conversation without sharing his love for his family,” station staff recalled.
The meteorologist’s passion for his work was evident in his daily forecasts. For the past decade, he guided Idaho residents through storm after storm, helping communities prepare for weather events ranging from winter snowstorms to summer thunderstorms.
The loss of Steadham leaves a void in both the Boise broadcast community and the local aviation community. His dual passions for meteorology and flying made him a unique figure who could bridge the gap between understanding weather patterns from both ground-based and aerial perspectives.
