Plane crash kills one in Bighorn Mountains

SHERIDAN (WNE) — A plane carrying four passengers reportedly crashed in the Bighorn Mountains Sept. 1, killing a 13-year-old girl.

According to a press release from the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 4:57 p.m. reports came in for a possible aircraft crash. Sheridan County Sheriff’s deputies, Sheridan Area Search and Rescue and Wyoming Regional EMS responded to the area.

First Flight from Greybull was requested to fly over the area of the potential crash site and confirmed there was evidence of a plane crash west of Big Mountain.

The rescue and medical teams arrived at the crash site and found a single engine aircraft with three patients and a 13-year-old female, Amelia Palmer, who was confirmed deceased on scene. 

The other three patients, an 11-year-old male, a 54-year-old male and a 53-year-old female — all of the same family — were reported to have serious injuries. Medical and rescue teams were able to stabilize the three patients.

The first patient was airlifted by First Flight from the scene to the incident command post and transported to Sheridan Memorial Hospital by WREMS. The Wyoming Army National Guard was able to airlift the other two patients from the scene with two separate flights.

Both of those individuals were flown to a Billings hospital. Palmer’s body was transferred to the Sheridan County Coroner’s Office.

According to the press release, the case and scene is still under investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is enroute and Sheridan Area Search and Rescue, SCSO deputies and Bighorn National Forest Service personnel will remain on scene until the FAA investigation is completed.

This story was published on Sept. 2, 2025.