C.F.R. » Title 14 » CHAPTER I—FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION › SUBCHAPTER F—AIR TRAFFIC AND GENERAL OPERATING RULES › PART 91—GENERAL OPERATING AND FLIGHT RULES › Subpart A—General

14 C.F.R. § 91.13

Careless or reckless operation

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(a) Aircraft operations for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.

(b) Aircraft operations other than for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft, other than for the purpose of air navigation, on any part of the surface of an airport used by aircraft for air commerce (including areas used by those aircraft for receiving or discharging persons or cargo), in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 116 cases (20 in the last 5 years), 1991–2026 · leading case: Elassaad v. Indep. Air, Inc., 613 F.3d 119 (3rd Cir. 2010).
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Elassaad v. Indep. Air, Inc., 613 F.3d 119 (3rd Cir. 2010). · cites it 6× “Alternatively, Elassaad argued that, if the Aviation Act does control, the general standard of care set forth in 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 , which prohibits carriers from operating an aircraft in a “careless or reckless manner,” imposed a duty of care on Independence to offer him…”
McDonnell v. Guilford Cnty. Tradewind Airlines, Inc., 670 S.E.2d 302 (N.C. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 7× “The issues presented by plaintiff are whether the trial court erred in: (I) granting defendant’s motion for a directed verdict and concluding, as a matter of law, that 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 63-13 are too vague and ambiguous to constitute a public policy…”
Sikkelee Ex Rel. Est. of Sikkelee v. Precision Airmotive Corp., 822 F.3d 680 (3rd Cir. 2016). · cites it 3× “We paid special heed to 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 (a), which proscribes “operating] an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another,” and observed that it provided a catch-all standard of care.”
Bradshaw v. Am. Airlines, 123 F.4th 1168 (10th Cir. 2024). · cites it 5× “Instead, the district court’s ruling relied on the Aviation Act and its associated regulation, 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 , which provides a “careless or reckless manner” standard of care.”
Allen v. Am. Airlines, Inc., 301 F. Supp. 2d 370 (E.D. Pa. 2003). · cites it 5× “) However, Plaintiff refers the Court to 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 (a), which provides, “No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.”
Bursztajn v. USA, 367 F.3d 485 (5th Cir. 2004). · cites it 2× “See 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 , 2 prohibiting “reckless operation” of aircraft, and 14 C.”
GoJet Airlines, LLC v. Fed. Aviation Admin., 743 F.3d 1168 (8th Cir. 2014). · cites it 4× “The FAA Acting Administrator ruled that GoJet violated FAA regulations when it failed to make the logbook entry and to remove the gear pin.”
Andrzejewski v. Fed. Aviation Admin., 563 F.3d 796 (9th Cir. 2009). · cites it 2× “303 (e) by flying aerobatically and 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 (a) 3 by flying in a careless or reckless manner.”
Aldana v. Air East Airways, Inc., 477 F. Supp. 2d 489 (D. Conn. 2007). · cites it 4× “This standard arises in particular from 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 (a): ‘No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another,’ ” id.”
Lee v. Air Canada, 228 F. Supp. 3d 302 (S.D.N.Y. 2017). · cites it 2× “” 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 (a). To reach this conclusion, Air Canada contends that local common law standards of negligence are preempted either through the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 (“ADA”) or the Federal Aviation Act (“FAA”).”
Montalvo v. Spirit Airlines, 508 F.3d 464 (9th Cir. 2007). “” 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 (a) (2003). Most pertinently, a number of specific federal regulations govern the warnings and instructions which must be given to airline passengers.”
Air Transp. Ass'n of Am., Inc. v. Cuomo, 520 F.3d 218 (2d Cir. 2008). “These regulations range from a general standard of care for operating requirements, see 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 (a) (“No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.”
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— 14 C.F.R. § 91.13(a) — 6 cases
Aldana v. Air East Airways, Inc., 477 F. Supp. 2d 489 (D. Conn. 2007). “This standard arises in particular from 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 (a): ‘No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another,’ ” id.”
Barber v. United Airlines, Inc., 17 F. App'x 433 (7th Cir. 2001).
Booth v. Santa Barbara Biplanes, LLC, 70 Cal. Rptr. 3d 660 (Cal. Ct. App. 2008).
Fabia v. Power Auth. of the State of N.Y. (N.Y. App. Div. 2026).
Quinn v. Pena (1st Cir. 1996).
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