U.S. Navy aviators killed in Yakima County aircraft crash

Two years ago, a U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler aircraft crashed during a training flight near the border of Yakima, Pierce, and Lewis Counties in Washington state. The aircraft disappeared from radar around 3:20 PM, leading to a search and recovery mission in the mountainous terrain east of Mount Rainier.

The crash resulted in the deaths of two female aviators from California: Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. Evans, 31, and Lt. Serena N. Wileman, 31. Investigators determined the crew was unable to eject before the plane struck a steep mountainside at an elevation of 6,000 feet.

A preliminary Navy investigation identified several contributing factors to the accident, including human error, poor weather and visibility, instrument meteorological conditions involving low clouds, and excessive risk tolerance regarding low-altitude training regulations.