Roland Steadham, the chief meteorologist at CBS Boise affiliate KBOI, died in a small aircraft crash on Tuesday, his employer confirmed.
The station reported that Steadham and one different particular person had been aboard a aircraft that crashed into the Payette River close to Emmett, Idaho. KBOI stated that Steadham was an “achieved pilot” and operated a small plane out of the Emmett Municipal Airport.
Steadham was a commercially licensed pilot and avid skydiver, in accordance with his KBOI biography. His biography notes that he had “logged over 3,000 hours flying every thing from competitors aerobatics to twin-engine jets and gliders.”
The aircraft appeared to have clipped an influence line earlier than crashing into the icy river, the Gem County Sheriff’s Workplace said. The crash was reported at 10:58 a.m. Tuesday, the workplace stated. Each occupants had been fatally injured within the crash, the workplace stated.
The opposite occupant of the aircraft has not been publicly recognized. KBOI and the sheriff’s workplace didn’t specify if Steadham was piloting the aircraft on the time of the crash.
Steadham is survived by his spouse, Erin, his six kids, and his grandchildren, in accordance with KBOI.
Steadham was a meteorologist for 35 years, gained a number of awards throughout his profession and “skilled numerous Meteorologists who proceed to tell the general public throughout the nation,” in accordance with his KBOI biography, He was beforehand the chief meteorologist at CBS affiliate KUTV in Salt Lake Metropolis from 2005 to 2009, and had levels from Brigham Younger College and the College of Utah.
Steadham was additionally an avid hiker and animal lover who would generally convey his canine to the station to observe his forecasts.
“Our group will not be the identical with out him,” KBOI stated.
CBS Information senior nationwide climate correspondent Rob Marciano stated he had identified Steadham for over 20 years and remembered him as “an excellent man, a complete professional, and a gentleman.”
“That is such unhappy and surprising information for the climate group,” Marciano stated.
