By MARTHA BELLISLE | Associated Press
The Navy identified on Monday the two crew members who died last week in a jet fighter crash near Mount Rainier as two 31-year-old female aviators from California.
Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. Evans, a Naval Flight Officer, and Lt. Serena N. Wileman, a Naval Aviator, died when their EA-18G Growler jet from the Electronic Attack Squadron, known as “Zappers,” crashed east of Mount Rainier last Tuesday during a training flight, according to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
Evans of Palmdale, California, made history as part of a team of female pilots who conducted the first-ever all-female flyover of Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12, 2023, to celebrate 50 years of women flying in the Navy, Steve Fiebing, a Navy spokesperson, told The Associated Press.
The first female candidates entered the U.S. Navy flight school in 1973.
“I joined the Navy to serve my country,” Evans told the Los Angeles Times. “Serving in the Navy means being part of something bigger than yourself.”
Wileman was commissioned in 2018 and joined the Zapper squadron on Washington state’s Whidbey Island in 2021. She earned the National Defense Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Medal and a Combat Action Ribbon.
An aerial crew located the wreckage the day after the crash at about 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) in a remote, steep and heavily wooded area east of Mount Rainier, officials said.
Navy officials declared the aviators dead on Sunday and said they’ve switched from search and rescue to recovery operations.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,” said Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, commanding officer of Electronic Attack Squadron 130. “Our priority right now is taking care of the families of our fallen aviators, and ensuring the well-being of our sailors and the Growler community. We are grateful for the ongoing teamwork to safely recover the deceased.”
Personnel are recovering debris and planning for the long-term salvage and recovery effort, the Navy said. Gov. Jay Inslee said the Navy asked the Washington state National Guard to “provide 24/7 security at assigned traffic control points.” Inslee granted the request Sunday.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The first production of the Growler was delivered to Whidbey Island in 2008. In the past 15 years, the Growler has operated around the globe supporting major actions, the Navy said. The plane seats a pilot in front and an electronics operator behind them.
“The EA-18G Growler aircraft we fly represents the most advanced technology in airborne Electronic Attack and stands as the Navy’s first line of defense in hostile environments,” the Navy said on its website. Each aircraft costs about $67 million.
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray said said she was heartbroken to learn of the passing of Evans, whom she had met at the Naval Air Station last year.
“I am deeply grateful for her courage and sacrifice in service to our country,” Murray said in a statement. “She was a leader who broke barriers and made history.”
“Similarly, I want to express my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Lt. Serena Wileman,” she continued. “I am so proud of both of these women for their trailblazing careers — their service has no doubt made a difference, clearing a path for the women who will come after them.”
