David Louie Crater
Agency patch
Pilot

David Louie Crater

Accident
End of Watch November 15, 1987
Age 33
Tour of Duty 7 mo
Gender Male

Incident

Pilot David Crater and Pilot James Taylor were killed in an aircraft crash along the United States-Mexico border near Calexico, California. They were flying in the area to serve as a reference point for radar detectors that had been moved into the area. The Cessna 441 Conquest they were operating crashed approximately one-half mile south of the border after it struck a 300-foot ridge. A search was initiated after ground units lost contact with the aircraft. Pilot Crater had served with the United States Customs Service for seven months.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Pilot Crater served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Pilot Crater.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdtuscsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 15, 1987
Tour of Duty 7 mo
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

David is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1987, 76 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 35th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

David was 33. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. David had served 0.6 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

November holds 8.3% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, David among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Pilot David Louie Crater

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch November 15, 1987

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 17-E

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