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18 U.S. Code § 32 - Destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities

U.S. Code
Notes

(a) Whoever willfully—

(1)

sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks any 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 part or other materials used or intended to be used in connection with the operation of 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 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;

(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 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;

(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 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 States while such in flight, if such act is likely to endanger the safety of that aircraft;

(2)

destroys a States while such in service or causes damage to such an aircraft’s safety in flight;

(3)

places or causes to be placed on a States while such in service, a device or substance which is likely to destroy 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, thenational of the United States; or an offender is afterwards found in the Unitednational 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.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is classified to section 1101(a)(22) of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a)(5) to (7). Pub. L. 109–177, § 123(1), (2), added par. (5) and redesignated former pars. (5) and (6) as (6) and (7), respectively. Former par. (7) redesignated (8).

Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 109–177, § 123(1), (3), redesignated par. (7) as (8) and substituted “paragraphs (1) through (7)” for “paragraphs (1) through (6)”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–177, § 123(4), substituted “paragraphs (1) through (6)” for “paragraphs (1) through (5)”.

1996—Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 104–132, § 723(a)(1), inserted “or conspires” after “attempts”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–132, § 721(b), in closing provisions, struck out “, if the offender is later found in the UnitedImmigration and Nationality Act.”

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 104–132, § 723(a)(1), inserted “or conspires” after “attempts”.

1994—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(S), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $100,000” in concluding provisions.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(O), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $25,000”.

1988—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 100–690 substituted “interfering” for “intefering”.

1984—Pub. L. 98–473 amended section generally. Prior to amendment section read as follows:

“Whoever willfully sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks any foreign air commerce; or

“Whoever willfully sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks any aircraft; or

“Whoever, with like intent, willfully places or causes to be placed any spare part, fuel, lubricant, hydraulic fluid, or other material unworkable or unusable or hazardous to work or use; or

“Whoever, with like intent, willfully sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks, or places or causes to be placed any landing area, air-navigation facility or other facility, warehouse, property, machine, or apparatus unworkable or unusable or hazardous to work or use; or

“Whoever, with like intent, willfully incapacitates any member of the crew of any such aircraft; or

“Whoever willfully attempts to do any of the aforesaid acts or things—

“shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–473 effective Oct. 12, 1984, see section 2015 of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as a note under section 31 of this title.