US military plane crashes in Washington state

A military aircraft from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island crashed in Washington state on Monday morning, and a newspaper reported that all three crew members died, which was quoted by AP. The E/A-6B Prowler was reported to have crashed at about 8:45 a.m. local time Monday, Whidbey Island officials said. Mike Welding, an information officer for the base, said he had no immediate information on the fate of the crew, only that they were on a routine training mission. Prowlers typically carry a four-person crew. However, The Spokesman-Review newspaper quoted Lincoln County Sheriff Wade Magers saying all three crew members were killed in the crash. Magers did not immediately return telephone calls from The Associated Press. Whidbey Island officials said the cause of the accident is under investigation. NAS Whidbey Island is home to the U.S. Navy's tactical electronic warfare squadrons. Crews from the base, located on Puget Sound, regularly fly across Eastern Washington for training exercises.