Two female aviators from California have been identified by the Navy as the crew members tragically killed in a fighter jet crash near Mount Rainier. The aviators, 31-year-old Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. Evans and Lt. Serena N. Wileman, both hailing from California, lost their lives when their EA-18G Growler jet, part of the Electronic Attack Squadron, crashed during a training flight last week. Lt. Evans, a Naval Flight Officer from Palmdale, was part of the historic all-female flyover of Super Bowl LVII in February 2023, celebrating 50 years of women flying in the Navy. Lt. Wileman, commissioned in 2018, had joined the Zapper squadron in Whidbey Island in 2021.
Following the crash, Naval officials located the wreckage in a remote, wooded area east of Mount Rainier. Recovery operations have now commenced, with a focus on supporting the families of the aviators and the overall well-being of the squadron. The cause of the crash is under investigation as personnel coordinate debris recovery and long-term salvage efforts. Gov. Jay Inslee has mobilized the Washington state National Guard to provide security assistance at traffic control points.
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray expressed her profound sadness over the loss of Lt. Evans, whom she had met personally. Murray praised Evans and Wileman for their groundbreaking careers and service to the country, noting their role in breaking barriers for future generations of women in the military. The EA-18G Growler, in operation since 2008, is a crucial asset for the Navy’s airborne Electronic Attack capabilities, providing frontline defence in hostile environments around the world. Each aircraft costs around $67 million. As investigations into the crash continue, the Navy and the community mourn the loss of these two dedicated aviators.