The search for the cause of a small plane crash versus a major mass commercial plane crash is where the complexity of general aviation crash cases becomes apparent. Personnel experience, aircraft maintenance, and record-keeping may exist with less operational rigor than in the general aviation category, despite these planes having a greater number of take-offs and landings because of the shorter distances they travel in flight. While the same causes, structural defects, pilots’ errors, maintenance deficiencies, design defects, air traffic safety controller decisions, and a host of other factors are often responsible, these additional difficulties in the investigation are compounded with the existing hurdles in any plane crash case. The wreckage of a plane crash impact will usually obscure the cause of the accident as well.