Navy officials say a Growler crew died in a jet crash near Mount Rainier earlier this week in Washington state.
Efforts have been underway for several days to find the crash site and 2 crew members from Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-130, the ZAPPERS. Operations have now shifted from search and rescue, to recovery.
Crew of 2 went down during a routine training flight Oct 15
Multiple search and rescue assets were involved, including a Navy MN-60S helicopter, to find the crash and crew. Efforts focused on an area 30 miles west of Yakima, challenged by mountainous terrain, cloudy weather, and low visibility.
Aerial crews eventually found the crash site, resting on a mountainside east of Mount Rainier.
The Naval Aviators lost are Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. Evans, 31, a Naval Flight Officer from California, and Lt. Serena N. Wileman, 31, a Naval Aviator from California.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,” said Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, commanding officer of VAQ-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 on site continue to search the expansive area, recovering debris and planning for the long-term salvage and recovery effort.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The ZAPPERS are the oldest Electronic Attack squadron in the US Navy
The Zappers had just returned stateside too, following a combat deployment as the only EA-18 Growler squadron with Carrier Air Wing 3.
They served on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian in the southern Red Sea, where they executed strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.
They are the oldest electronic attack squadron in the Navy. The Zappers are also the first Growler squadron in Navy history to score an air-to-air kill.
Based on the Super Hornet airframe, the two-seat, twin-turbofan Growlers integrate the latest electronic attack technology. They jam and blind the enemy before a single shot need be fired.
