Having had a crash free simulator for the past several months, today I was 'awoken' by an api.dll error which has puzzled me as I have not had one of those in a very long time. My settings aren't very high so I don't see how the cause could be high settings, I haven't changed anything on my computer in several weeks such as installing new things or uninstalling others. 

This is my last resort, what could be the cause? I was over the south of Spain when the crash occurred, I flew from KBOS - EGLL yesterday without any issues what so ever using the same aircraft I had the CTD in today. 

 

https://imgur.com/a/HqzvW

Edited March 22, 20188 yr by shamrockflyer

Almost every time, this crash is caused by an add-on. In some cases was outdated add-on - just check and ensure you are running the latest versions, this includes FSUIPC, FSL spotlights and sceneries. Before this, i recommend you to try and rebuild scenery indexes:

Go to "C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\SceneryIndexes_x64" and delete everything inside this folder. Start P3D, and they will be created again. If you still get the crash, it's most probably the addon

Zeljko is right.  It is an addon.  Last night I got the API.dll error myself by flying from FSDT KLAX to FlightBeam KPHX.  Whenever my aircraft got in site of KPHX at around FL170 and FL220, P3DV4 would CTD.  It happened 100% of the time.  I figured it had to be something in front of me and nearby so opened up my FlightBeam App and they had an update.  I updated and then flew the flight again but this time landed at KPHX with no CTD.  I have done a couple more flights since then and I still have no issues. 

In FSX days (and P3Dv1, 2, and 3) an API.dll indicated high settings.  Based on your system specs, you should be able to move your sliders up pretty high (but not max or you will have low FPS; with P3DV4 that's the only thing you need to be concerned with - FPS). 

Suspect scenery in the area of the crash but I'm very upset that P3D is loading everything in the world.  I ran Process Monitor today on the flight from Los Angeles to Phoenix and it was loading stuff in Europe, Seattle X, Wash X, Chicago, FlightBeam's KSFO, Orbx EU (even though it was not activated) and, well, everything.  Use to be the stuff around you was loaded but, if you had photoscenery enabled, it would load that around the world.  I suspect much of our scenery products now have photoscenery in it.  I know everything in Scenery/World/Scenery and Orbx also uses Scenery/Global/Scenery and everything there will load too whether you use it or not.