Crews Reach Remote Navy Growler Crash Site as Search for Aviators Continues

Navy search crews, along with law enforcement and members of the Army’s 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), arrived at the remote crash site east of Mount Rainier on Friday evening. The crash, involving a Navy EA-18G Growler jet, occurred on Tuesday during a training flight.

Search Teams Reach Crash Site

Despite the difficult conditions in the snow-covered wilderness, the team is conducting a thorough search near Goose Prairie in Yakima County, Washington. Their mission is to locate and recover the two aviators who were flying the aircraft. The search area is expansive and challenging, sitting at around 6,000 feet on a steep mountainside, unreachable by vehicles. The Navy emphasized that “finding the aircrew continues to be our primary focus,” and efforts to reach the crash site have been methodical. The Growler, part of Electronic Attack Squadron 130, known as the “Zappers,” was identified in the wreckage, but the fate of the aviators remains unknown.

The Crash and Ongoing Investigation

The Navy Growler crashed on Tuesday afternoon, with the wreckage being located the following day. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and Navy officials have not yet released any additional information regarding the circumstances leading up to the tragedy. The squadron, part of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower’s carrier group, had returned from a combat deployment in July, having served in key areas including the Southern Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. The crash has brought attention to the dangerous nature of these training missions, which simulate combat conditions.

Local Impact and Eyewitness Accounts

Tim Thompson, a former Air Force navigator and commercial pilot, was nearby when the crash occurred. Thompson, who recently bought a home near Goose Prairie, recalled hearing a strange sound just before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, describing it as “like the crack of a hammer on a metal roof.” Although he is accustomed to hearing Navy jets fly over his property at high speeds, this sound is unfamiliar.

Thompson and his team, working on renovations to his vacation rental, stepped outside to investigate but saw nothing unusual. Hours later, when he learned of the crash, Thompson contacted Yakima County Search and Rescue, reporting the unusual noise he had heard earlier. Rescue teams had just discovered the crash site near Pear Butte, about five to ten miles from his home.

Thompson expressed deep concern for the missing aviators as a military veteran and former pilot. He reflected on his time in service, acknowledging the close bonds formed within military teams and the ever-present risk of tragedy. “Everybody is going to be worried about those pilots because you become like brothers and sisters when you work together and train together every day,” he said.

The Road Ahead

The search for the missing Navy aviators continues as investigators work to determine the cause of the crash. The remote, mountainous terrain and harsh conditions have made the search challenging, but crews remain dedicated to locating the pilots. The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers military personnel face, even in routine training exercises, and the deep bonds formed by those who serve together.