Navy Mourns Loss of Two Aviators After Fatal EA-18G Crash Near Mount Rainier

Federal investigators are working to determine what led to the devastating crash of a Navy EA-18G Growler near Mount Rainier that claimed the lives of two highly regarded aviators. The aircraft went down during a routine training mission in a rugged, forested area east of the mountain, sparking questions about how such an advanced jet could be lost so suddenly.

On Monday, the Navy identified the fallen crew members as Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. Evans, 31, of Palmdale, California, and Lt. Serena N. Wileman, 31, of California. Both were assigned to the Electronic Attack Squadron 130, known as the “Zappers,” based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

Evans, a Naval Flight Officer, had recently made history as part of the first all-female flyover at Super Bowl LVII in 2023, honoring five decades of women in naval aviation. Wileman, a Naval Aviator commissioned in 2018, joined the Zappers three years later and earned multiple awards, including the Navy Unit Commendation Medal and Combat Action Ribbon.

The wreckage was found a day after the crash at roughly 6,000 feet in steep, heavily wooded terrain, complicating recovery efforts. By Sunday, the Navy confirmed both aviators had perished and shifted operations from search-and-rescue to recovery.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the loss of two cherished Zappers,” said Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, the squadron’s commanding officer. “Our priority is supporting their families, our sailors, and the Growler community.”