The U.S. Navy is grieving the deaths of two highly regarded officers after their EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft crashed in the remote, mountainous terrain east of Mount Rainier during a routine training mission. Officials identified the fallen aviators as Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. Evans and Lt. Serena N. Wileman, both 31 and from California. The two were assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 130, the “Zappers,” based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

The incident occurred on Oct. 15, 2024. Search teams later located the wreckage at roughly 6,000 feet in steep, heavily wooded country that made access extremely difficult. After the operation shifted from search-and-rescue to recovery, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee authorized National Guard personnel to help secure the site. Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, commanding officer of VAQ-130, said the squadron’s immediate focus remained on supporting the families while investigators examined the technical and environmental factors that may have contributed to the loss of the $67 million aircraft.