In addition to Dino's fine suggestions, can you post a drawing with the exact steps you take that bring you to crashland? I don't use the Grading that often either, but when I do it works pretty much how I want it to. I've even tried to reproduce other's paths to FE's but either they don't give detailed instructions, or I subconcously adjust what they say to what I know works.
Anyway, I'd like to help find a solution to the crashes so if you can get me pointed in the direction you take, I might be able to.