Posted on 10/21/2024 8:25:40 AM PDT by Red Badger
The two aviators who were missing after a Navy Growler crashed east of Mount Rainier last week have died, officials said Sunday.
The announcement comes five days after the EA-18G Growler crashed Tuesday afternoon near White Pass during a training flight. Authorities located the wreckage a day later.
No information was provided as of Sunday evening about whether the aviators’ remains had been found.
Based in Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island, the pair belonged to Electronic Attack Squadron 130, known as the “Zappers.”
“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, 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.”
The search efforts shifted from a rescue to a recovery effort Sunday morning, according to a news release. The Navy will release the identities of the two aviators 24 hours after their next of kin are notified.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The jet crashed around 3:23 p.m. Tuesday, the Navy said. Aerial crews found the wreckage Wednesday but the “mountainous terrain, cloudy weather, and low visibility,” complicated the search, according to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Navy search crews were able to reach the crash site Friday....
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
No, a Naval Flight Officer (NFO), who operates electronic and weapons systems. The F-4 used to have rudimentary flight controls in the back seat. I don't know what the current setup is. Wikipedia says NFO's are not trained to land the plane.
Lt Hultgren was a long time ago and standards have changed for the better. These two were combat tested and proven. My hat’s off to them.
Before we armchair quarterback and decide what the cause of the crash was, let’s see what the AMB determines.
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