Try cleaning up your hard disc of extra stuff--old files, things that suck up useable memory you don't use, defrag it and try again.  Some download aircraft use a great deal of 'slack' drive space momentarily on startup, just as a big program would.  Also, make sure that no other program is running in the background when you try to put a large load on the drivers and card--like slewing (makes lotsa changes really fast).  If the fault only happens sometimes, consider yourself lucky--at least you can keep the aircraft.
     Good hunting.

it seems that any aircraft i install a certian nav panel on crash.  that may be the problem.... here's the panel file of one of the aircraft i'm having trouble with:

// This Panel.cfg file created by CfgEdit
// Built Tuesday, September 03, 2002 at 11:41 Build:16462

[Window Titles]
Window00=Main Window
Window01=Engine Controls
Window02=Radio Direction
Window03=Fuel CG Trim
Window04=GPS

[VIEWS]
view_forward_WINDOWS=%window_title_00%
VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=3.3, 0.0, 0.0
VIEW_FORWARD_ZOOM=0.3
VIEW_RIGHT_ZOOM=0.2
VIEW_LEFT_ZOOM=0.2
VIEW_REAR_ZOOM=0.2
VIEW_FORWARD_UP_ZOOM=0.24



[Window00]
file=panel_background_1024.bmp
size_mm=1024
window_size_ratio=1.00   
position=4
visible=1
ident=MAIN_PANEL
sizeable=1
render_3d_window=1

gauge00=f4f4_wildcat!Directional-Gyro,  439,493,111,135
gauge01=f4f4_wildcat!Attitude-Indicator,  567,472,144,143
gauge02=f4f4_wildcat!Altimeter,  332,496,97,98
gauge03=f4f4_wildcat!Turn-Coordinator,  477,642,98,97
gauge04=f4f4_wildcat!Airspeed-Indicator,  366,642,95,96
gauge05=f4f4_wildcat!Tachometer,  253,642,97,96
gauge06=f4f4_wildcat!Manifold-Pressure,  220,539,95,96
gauge07=f4f4_wildcat!Climb-Indicator,  593,644,96,95
gauge08=f4f4_wildcat!Ignition-Switch,  39,663,59,58
gauge09=f6f3_hellcat!Fuel_Quantity,  852,691,67,66
gauge10=f4f4_wildcat!Engine-Gauge,  933,675,85,84
gauge11=f4u1a_corsair!Hydraulic_Pressure_Warning,  292,500,20,19
gauge12=f4f4_wildcat!Starter,  7,664,23,57
gauge13=f4f4_wildcat!Master-Switch,  53,608,34,48
gauge14=f4f4_wildcat!Icon-Engine-Controls,  346, 614 ,20,19
gauge15=f4f4_wildcat!Icon-Map,  685,624,20,19
gauge16=concorde!Fuel-Panel-Display-Toggle,  424,608,20,19
gauge17=jwb_trswitch!trim_switch,  945,620,26,42
gauge18=JWB.gun_count4,  734,716,52,19
gauge19=p47d!Engine_Temperature,  112,570,67,66
gauge20=concorde!Compass-Display-Toggle,  538,608,20,19
gauge21=APN-22radalt!Radio Altimeter,  713,604,96
gauge22=f4f4_wildcat!Clock,  734,518,70,69
gauge23=p38f_lightning!Fuel-Selector,  844,601,78,77
gauge24=f4f4_wildcat!Low-Fuel-Warning,  850,564,20,19
gauge25=f4f4_wildcat!Magnetic-Compass,  104,646,80,79
gauge26=f4f4_wildcat!Flaps-Lever,  21,733,67,31
gauge27=f4f4_wildcat!Landing-Gear-Position-Indicator,  112,733,67,31
gauge28=mooney_bravo!Speed Brake,  385,445,24,18

[Window01]
file=Ecu.bmp
size_mm=188
position=6
visible=0
ident=THROTTLE_PANEL
sizeable=1
window_size= 0.250, 0.400
window_pos= 0.000, 0.600

gauge00=F4U1A_Corsair!ECU,  0,0

[Window02]
file=RDF.bmp
size_mm=200,78
position=6
visible=0
ident=COMPASS_PANEL
window_size= 0.333, 0.150
window_pos= 0.655, 0.866

gauge00=concorde!ADF,  1,1,74
gauge01=concorde!Radio-Adf,  77,1,124

[Window03]
file=714PopUp.BMP
size_mm=260,70
position=6
visible=0
ident=COLLECTIVE_PANEL
sizeable=1
window_size= 0.303, 0.100
window_pos= 0.340, 0.900

gauge00=jwb_trim!Trim,  103,4,66,62
gauge01=JWB!cg_pct,  63,35,34,16
gauge02=concorde!Pitch-Trim,  176,2,24,64
gauge03=concorde!Yaw-Trim,  204,44,54,23
gauge04=concorde!Roll-Trim,  213,3,34,36
gauge05=jwb_controls!controls,  2,2,58,65

[Window04]
file=AuxPanel3.bmp
size_mm=340,291
window_size_ratio=1.00   
position=8
visible=0
ident=GPS_PANEL
nomenu=0
window_size= 0.340, 0.400
window_pos= 0.650, 0.590

gauge00=GPS100A,  225,83,105,99
gauge01=Cfo_Gauges!Refuel_Dump_NB,  13,196,105,69
gauge02=Military.Chronometer,  225,181,105,99
gauge03=RKG_fuelstat!Airspeed,  117,83,110,99
gauge04=Cfs2gps,  13,83,105,99
gauge05=RKG_fuelstat!FuelStatusSq_recip,  117,184,110,101
gauge06=737-400.AUTOPILOT,  12,9,319,75
                                    

[Default View]
X=0
Y=0
SIZE_X=8191
SIZE_Y=5000

AuxPanel3.bmp and all the other required pics are in the folder.  i added window04 (the nav panel) and did not replace anything.

yeah, the plane worked when i removed the nav panel.... can i somehow change or get rid of the extra view windows?

thx alot

Oops. Seems I put my big foot in it again. LOL 

Sorry, I have never used WinXP & have no knowledge of it.

Thanks old friend. I'm downloading your nav panel now to check it out. Not that this will help much as I'm running WinMe. You might be right about that XP upgrade. From the continual problems I still see every day I have no inclination to try XP. 

This reminds me. I think you should update the Hoppers link in your profile. Many people have asked me where you disappeared to.

Quote:

Us old farts must stick together.  

Quote:

I'm good at creeping up on people.  
I downloaded navpnl_v3.zip from the Hoppers site. The CFG is nothing like the one Comm1 posted here. It looks like a completely different panel.  ???