The U.S. Navy is honoring two highly respected aviators who lost their lives when an EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft crashed during a routine training mission east of Mount Rainier. The fallen service members were identified as Lyndsay P. Evans and Serena N. Wileman, both 31 years old and assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 130 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
The crash occurred on October 15, 2024, during a training flight. Search teams later located the wreckage in remote mountainous terrain, and recovery efforts were complicated by steep slopes, dense forest, and difficult weather conditions. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Evans was widely recognized for participating in the historic all-female flyover during Super Bowl LVII, commemorating 50 years of women in U.S. naval aviation. Wileman was a decorated combat aviator whose service included deployments in support of operations in the Middle East and the Red Sea. Both officers were praised as role models, mentors, and pioneers who helped expand opportunities for future generations of women in military aviation.
Military leaders, elected officials, and fellow service members paid tribute to the pair, describing them as exceptional professionals whose courage, leadership, and dedication left a lasting impact on the Navy aviation community. Their deaths serve as a reminder of the risks faced by military personnel even during routine training operations.
