Remains of naval aviators killed in Washington state training flight to return home

SEATTLE — The remains of two pilots who died when their jet plane crashed during a training flight in Washington state last month, will return home from Dover Air Force Base in the coming days, the Navy said.

The remains of California native Lt. Serena Wileman were expected to return Monday, Whidbey Island Naval Air Station said. Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay Evans’ remains will return later this week in a private function, in accordance with the wishes of her family.

The two died when their Electronic Attack Squadron EA-18G Growler jet, known as ‘Zappers’, crashed east of Mount Rainier on October 15.

The crash occurred at approximately 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) in a remote, steep and heavily forested area. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Evans, a naval flight officer from Palmdale, California, made history as part of a team of female pilots who performed the first-ever all-female flyover of Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of women flying in the Navy.

The first female candidates entered the US Navy’s flight school in 1973.

Wileman, a naval aviator, was commissioned in 2018 and joined the Zapper squad on Whidbey Island in Washington State in 2021. She earned the National Defense Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Medal and a Combat Action Ribbon.

The EA-18G Growler is a variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet and provides tactical jamming and electronic protection to U.S. troops and allies, according to Boeing, the manufacturer. The first Growler was delivered to Whidbey Island in 2008.