Navy names two pilots who died in a growler accident near Mount Rainier. The US Navy has named two service members who died in a growler crash near Mount Rainier last week. On Monday, the crew members were identified as Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay Payge Evans, 31, a military flight officer, and Lt. Serena Nicole Wileman, 31, a naval aviator. Both were from California.
Evans and Wileman were assigned to the Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ 130). They died when their electronic warfare aircraft crashed in remote terrain on October 15. “It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,” Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, commanding squadron commander, said in a statement Sunday. “Our top focus right now is to care for the families of our fallen aviators while safeguarding the safety of our Sailors and the Growler community. We appreciate the continuous teamwork to recover the deceased securely.
Evans was commissioned in 2014 and has been stationed at Whidbey Island since 2016. Evans was most recently deployed to the Electronic Attack Squadron in September 2023. She also spent several years at NAS Whidbey, serving in the electronic communications weapons school and the Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 136.
Wileman was commissioned in 2018 and has been stationed on Whidbey Island since 2021. Wileman was assigned to an electronic attack squadron in 2022. She was previously a student at many bases across the country. President Joe Biden issued a statement Monday afternoon, saying he and his wife, Jill, are saddened by the loss of the aviators and grateful for their service. The statement states in part:
“They were among our country’s best, having recently returned from a lengthy deployment to the Middle East to defend against Houthi missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea. We appreciate the efforts of the United States Navy, Army, Yakima County Tribal, and local officials in locating and recovering these two brave and brilliant young aviators. We pray for their families, loved ones, and squadron members, and we will never forget their bravery and commitment.”
The EA-18G Growler crashed east of Mount Rainier on October 15. According to officials at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, the jet took off from Oak Harbor and crashed at 3:23 p.m..
The terrain was mountainous, steep, and densely forested, and it took rescuers several days to locate the debris. When they discovered the crash site, crews had to deploy professional individuals with mountaineering and rescue experience to search it. On Sunday, the Navy revealed that the aviators had died. The crew members’ identities were protected until their next of kin were contacted. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.
