Navy–EA-18G Growler Crew Deceased, Now A Recovery Mission
The two-man crew of a Whidbey Island, WA-based Navy EA-18G Growler are deceased, according to Navy reports. This is a picture of an EA-18 conducting touch-and-go landings at night.
The Navy says the mission is now one of recovery
By way of the Yakima County Sheriff's Office, the Navy on Sunday released information indicating the two-man crew of the electronic warfare plane did not survive the crash.
Last Tuesday, around 3:20 PM, the Navy says the airplane, based out of Whidbey Island, was on a routine but full-speed training mission, and crashed just east of Mt. Rainier in remote western Yakima County. At that time it was not known if the crew was able to eject.
According to the Navy:
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,” said Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, commanding officer of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130. “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.”
The plane had gone down on a steep mountainside at an elevation of about 6,000 feet, east of Mt. Rainier. The site was inaccessible by vehicles, and Special Forces units from Join Base McCord-Lewis had to climb to get to it.
The unit, one of the oldest electronic warfare units in the Navy, are known as the Zappers. The EA-18G Growler is a version of the FA-18 Hornet outfitted with special electronics to not only drop bombs and missiles, but also disrupt enemy communications, radar, and other communications.
The Navy says the investigation will also focus on what led up to the crash.
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Gallery Credit: Andrew Lisa