Between 1995 and 2004 there was 2 @,@ 630 accidents involving GA aircraft , of which 139 was fatal , resulting in the loss of 317 lives . The majority of accidents involved small fixed @-@ wing aircraft engaged in private flights , and analysis attribute the most common causes of these to : flight handling skills ; poor judgement or airmanship ; lack of training or experience ; and omission of , or inappropriate , action .