Two Years Ago Today–Crash Kills Two Naval Aviators in Yakima County

As the news came in, hopes were the crew was able to eject, or somehow survive.

   Two Years Ago, 2 Female Navy Aviators Killed in Western Yakima County

The Yakima County Sheriff's Office reported Oct. 15th 2 years ago they had been requested to assist in the search for an EA-18G Growler aircraft that was missing  from a training flight near the border between Yakima and Pierce and Lewis Counties.

The plane was believed to have crashed around 3:20 PM, and the YSCO Search and Rescue Team was dispatched to help begin the search.  The Plane Was Located, and It Became a Recovery Mission

 The Growler  Disappeared from Radar During the Mission

The Growler, as it is known, is a derivative of the FA-18 Hornet, and it specialized in electronic and other similar types of warfare with its weapons system.  The two crew members were Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. Evans, 31, and Lt. Serena N. Wileman, 31, both from California.

The Navy then released information indicating the plane wreckage had been found, and the crew had not been able to punch out, or eject. The preliminary investigation showed the plane slammed into a steep mountainside at the 6,000 foot elevation just east of Mt. Rainer.

   The Terrain Was Inaccessible to Any Vehicles

The Navy and YCSO said crews had to rappell down to the crash site, making retrieval very challenging.

According to the Navy Investigation, the likely reasons for the crash included a combination of human error, poor weather and visibility,  instrument meteorological conditions (low clouds obscuring terrain) and excessive risk tolerance regarding low-altitude training rules.