§ 32. Destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities

1,430 words·~7 min read·/usc/title-18/section-32

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)Whoever willfully—

(1)sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks any aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States or any civil aircraft used, operated, or employed in interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce;

(2)places or causes to be placed a destructive device or substance in, upon, or in proximity to, or otherwise makes or causes to be made unworkable or unusable or hazardous to work or use, any such aircraft, or any part or other materials used or intended to be used in connection with the operation of such aircraft, if such placing or causing to be placed or such making or causing to be made is likely to endanger the safety of any such aircraft;

(3)sets fire to, damages, destroys, or disables any air navigation facility, or interferes by force or violence with the operation of such facility, if such fire, damaging, destroying, disabling, or interfering is likely to endanger the safety of any such aircraft in flight;

(4)with the intent to damage, destroy, or disable any such aircraft, sets fire to, damages, destroys, or disables or places a destructive device or substance in, upon, or in proximity to, any appliance or structure, ramp, landing area, property, machine, or apparatus, or any facility or other material used, or intended to be used, in connection with the operation, maintenance, loading, unloading or storage of any such aircraft or any cargo carried or intended to be carried on any such aircraft;

(5)interferes with or disables, with intent to endanger the safety of any person or with a reckless disregard for the safety of human life, anyone engaged in the authorized operation of such aircraft or any air navigation facility aiding in the navigation of any such aircraft;

(6)performs an act of violence against or incapacitates any individual on any such aircraft, if such act of violence or incapacitation is likely to endanger the safety of such aircraft;

(7)communicates information, knowing the information to be false and under circumstances in which such information may reasonably be believed, thereby endangering the safety of any such aircraft in flight; or

(8)attempts or conspires to do anything prohibited under paragraphs

(1)through

(7)of this subsection;

shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years or both.

(b)Whoever willfully—

(1)performs an act of violence against any individual on board any civil aircraft registered in a country other than the United States while such aircraft is in flight, if such act is likely to endanger the safety of that aircraft;

(2)destroys a civil aircraft registered in a country other than the United States while such aircraft is in service or causes damage to such an aircraft which renders that aircraft incapable of flight or which is likely to endanger that aircraft’s safety in flight;

(3)places or causes to be placed on a civil aircraft registered in a country other than the United States while such aircraft is in service, a device or substance which is likely to destroy that aircraft, or to cause damage to that aircraft which renders that aircraft incapable of flight or which is likely to endanger that aircraft’s safety in flight; or

(4)attempts or conspires to commit an offense described in paragraphs

(1)through

(3)of this subsection;

shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both. There is jurisdiction over an offense under this subsection if a national of the United States was on board, or would have been on board, the aircraft; an offender is a national of the United States; or an offender is afterwards found in the United States. For purposes of this subsection, the term “national of the United States” has the meaning prescribed in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

(c)Whoever willfully imparts or conveys any threat to do an act which would violate any of paragraphs

(1)through

(6)of subsection

(a)or any of paragraphs

(1)through

(3)of subsection

(b)of this section, with an apparent determination and will to carry the threat into execution shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(Added July 14, 1956, ch. 595, § 1, 70 Stat. 539; amended Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 2013(b), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2187; Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7016, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4395; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(O), (S), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148; Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, §§ 721(b), 723(a)(1), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1298, 1300; Pub. L. 109–177, title I, § 123, Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 226.)

Connections28 cite this · traces to 2

Cited by 28 sections · top 20

U.S. Code

CFR

Traces to 2 documents

U.S. Code

21 references not yet in our index

July 14, 1956, ch. 595, § 1
70 Stat. 539
Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 2013(b)
98 Stat. 2187
Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7016
102 Stat. 4395
Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(O)
108 Stat. 2148
Pub. L. 104–132, title VII
110 Stat. 1298
Pub. L. 109–177, title I, § 123
120 Stat. 226
Pub. L. 109–177, § 123(1)
Pub. L. 109–177, § 123(4)
Pub. L. 104–132, § 723(a)(1)
Pub. L. 104–132, § 721(b)
Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(S)
Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(O)
Pub. L. 100–690
Pub. L. 98–473
section 2015 of Pub. L. 98–473

Citation graph

cites case law

§ 32

Destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities

Fed. Reg.×21

U.S.C.×5

C.F.R.×2

U.S.C.§ 1101

U.S.C.§ 31

ActJuly 14, 1956, ch. 595, § 1

Stat.70 Stat. 539

Pub. L.Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 2013(b)

Stat.98 Stat. 2187

Pub. L.Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7016

Cites 23 · showing 7Cited by 28 across 3 sources