Robert D. "Jake" Metherell

United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service — Washington, DC

Accident

End of Watch February 7, 1973

Age 45

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

The Vigil Panel 111 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 39

Incident

Park Ranger Jake Metherell and Park Ranger Ronald Trussell were killed in an airplane crash while en route from Cedar City, Utah, to Boise, Idaho.

They were traveling to attend a conference when the Mooney M20E plane that Ranger Metherell was piloting crashed near Elko, Nevada. The wreckage was located and recovered on April 3rd, 1973.

Ranger Metherell had served with the National Park Service for 17 years and was assigned to Zion National Park.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-422A572C
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Park Ranger Metherell gave the United States Department of the Interior 17 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Park Ranger Metherell.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usdinpsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 7, 1973

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Park Ranger Robert D. "Jake" Metherell is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, 28 of 40 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 70% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service

of 40 officers

70% Accident

DC — Statewide

454

of 1,419 officers

32% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident