Navy IDs 2 'trailblazing' female aviators killed in Washington jet crash

The Navy identified on Monday two "trailblazing" women aviators who were killed when their jet crashed in northeast Washington during an Oct. 15 training mission.

A day after Navy officials declared them dead, they were identified as Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. "Miley" Evans, a Naval flight officer, and Lt. Serena N. "Dug" Wileman, a Naval aviator. Both women were 31 years old and from California, according to the Navy.

Evans and Wileman were described by Navy officials as "two highly skilled, combat decorated aviators."

"More than just names and ranks, they were role models, trailblazers, and women whose influence touched countless people on the flight deck and well beyond," the Navy's Carrier Strike Group Two and Carrier Air Wing 3 said in a statement.

The aviators were identified a day after Cmdr. Timothy Warburton of the Navy's Electronic Attack Squadron 130 -- which goes by the nickname "Zappers" -- announced they had been declared dead.

"It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers," Warburton said in a statement. "Our priority right now is taking care of the families of our fallen aviators and ensuring the well-being of our Sailors and the Growler community. We are grateful for the ongoing teamwork to safely recover the deceased."

Wreckage of the EA-18G Growler jet was located Wednesday on a mountainside east of Mount Rainier, military officials said.

Search-and-rescue crews faced mountainous terrain, cloudy weather and low visibility during the search for the crew, Navy officials said in a statement last week.

The jet, from Electronic Attack Squadron 130, crashed at about 3:23 p.m. on Oct. 15, about 30 miles west of Yakima, according to the Navy.

The jet crashed after launching a training flight from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, officials said.

In a statement Monday, President Joe Biden said he and the first lady are mourning the loss of the pilots, saying that they were "among our nation's finest" and that they are praying for their families and loved ones.

"We will always honor their service and sacrifice," Biden added.

Evans and Wileman had recently returned from a nine-month deployment to the Red Sea in the Middle East, where they were part of the Carrier Air Wing 3 and stationed aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, according to the Navy. During their deployment, the aviators were involved in what the Navy described as "the most dynamic combat action."

"During their deployment, both Evans and Wileman distinguished themselves in combat operations," Capt. Marvin Scott, a Navy flight commander, said in a statement.

Scott added, "These role models cemented legacies by making history that will inspire future generations of Naval officers and aviators."

Evans completed multiple combat strikes into Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen, making her one of the few women to fly combat missions over land, according to the Navy.

In 2023, Evans was part of an all-female Super Bowl flyover of State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, which the Navy said was "a historic moment marking 50 years of women flying in the Navy."

In 2024, Evans was also named the Growler Tactics Instructor of the Year, according to the Navy.

In 2023 and 2024, Wileman also flew on multiple combat missions into the Houthi-controlled territories of Yemen.

"I have personally flown with both of these great Americans in both training and dynamic combat operations, and they always performed professionally and precisely. I could not be more proud to have served with each of them," Capt. Marvin Scott, a Navy flight commander, said in a statement.

The cause of the crash that killed Evans and Wileman is under investigation, according to the Navy.

The Growler aircraft, which according to the Navy is worth about $67 million, is "the most advanced technology in airborne Electronic Attack and stands as the Navy's first line of defense in hostile environments."

The 130 squadron adopted the nickname "Zappers" when it was commissioned as the Carrier Early Warning Squadron 13 in 1959, the military said.

The squadron was most recently deployed to the Southern Red Sea, where it carried out seven pre-planned strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, according to a statement.

The Zappers also carried out some 700 combat missions "to degrade the Houthi capability to threaten innocent shipping," according to a press release announcing the squadron's return to Washington in July.