WASHINGTON – The whereabouts of two U.S. Navy pilots remain unknown, more than 24 hours after their EA-18G Growler fighter jet crashed during a routine training flight in northeastern Washington.
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Search-and-rescue teams discovered the wreckage on Wednesday afternoon but have yet to locate the two-person crew. The crash occurred on a mountainside east of Mount Rainier, complicating recovery efforts due to the region’s rugged terrain, low visibility, and challenging weather conditions.
“Responders are facing mountainous terrain, cloudy weather, and low visibility as the search is ongoing,” Navy officials said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.
The aircraft, from Electronic Attack Squadron 130, went down at approximately 3:23 p.m. on Tuesday, around 30 miles west of Yakima, on the eastern slopes of Mount Rainier, according to military officials. The jet had departed from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island for a training exercise.
Following the crash, an MH-60S helicopter was immediately dispatched to the area to begin the search. Additional support was provided by units from U.S. Navy Fleet Reconnaissance Squadron One, Patrol Squadron, and search-and-rescue teams from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, officials reported.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The EA-18G Growler is a highly advanced electronic attack aircraft valued at approximately $67 million, according to the Navy. It is considered a vital asset in airborne electronic warfare, serving as the Navy’s first line of defense in hostile environments.

The 130th squadron, known as the “Zappers,” has a long operational history, having been commissioned as Carrier Early Warning Squadron 13 in 1959. Recently, the Zappers were deployed to the Southern Red Sea, where they executed seven planned strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, part of efforts to reduce threats to civilian shipping in the region.
The squadron completed over 700 combat missions during the deployment, returning to Washington in July.
Authorities are continuing their efforts to locate the missing crew members as the investigation into the incident unfolds.