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David L. Crater

Agency
U.S. Customs Service (Prior to CBP)
End of Watch
Customs Pilot David L. Crater

On November 15, 1987, U.S. Customs Pilots David Crater and 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 U.S. Customs Service for seven months.

Last Modified: Jan 17, 2025

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