FAA Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA)Regulations (14 CFR 61/91)Easy
During a local flight, a private pilot performs steep turns and rapid low-altitude passes directly over a crowded public beach to entertain sunbathers below. The pilot never descends below the altitudes required by 14 CFR 91.119, but is later cited by the FAA for endangering people on the surface. Which regulation was most likely violated?
- A14 CFR 91.15 – Dropping objects
- B14 CFR 91.13 – Careless or reckless operation
- C14 CFR 91.9 – Civil aircraft flight manual, marking, and placard requirements
- D14 CFR 91.119 – Minimum safe altitudes
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. 14 CFR 91.13 – Careless or reckless operation
91.13 is a broad, catch-all regulation prohibiting operation of an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger life or property, and it applies even when specific numeric rules such as 91.119 are technically not violated.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Applies to dropping objects that create a hazard, not maneuvering flight.
- C. Deals with flight manual and placard requirements, unrelated to this scenario.
- D. Not violated since the pilot met the numeric minimum altitude requirements.
Careless or Reckless Operation (91.13)
Prohibits operating an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another, independent of other specific regulations.
- Catch-all regulation used when no specific rule fits the hazard
- Applies both in flight and on the surface (movement area)
- Can be cited even if the pilot complied with altitude/airspace minimums
Memory trick: 'Careless' catches what other rules miss.