# Justice Manual § 9-63.100: Aircraft Piracy and Related Offenses

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.100

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-63.100
- **Heading:** Aircraft Piracy and Related Offenses
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-63.000 - Protection Of Public Order / Justice Manual § 9-63.100

## Text

Sections 46502, 46504, 46505, 46506, and 46507 of Title 49, United States Code, (formerly section 1472(i) through (n) of Title 49 Appendix) set forth the offenses of aircraft piracy and attempted piracy while in flight within or outside the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, interference with flight crew members or flight attendants while in flight within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, carrying weapons or explosives aboard an aircraft, conveyance of false information or threats regarding certain offenses prohibited by 49 U.S.C. §§ 46502, 46504, 46505, 46506, and 46507 and certain common law offenses.

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 538 (formerly 49 U.S.C. App. § 1472(o)), criminal violations of the aircraft piracy and related offense provisions are investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
See
Pub. L. 103-272, §  4(e)(1), 108 Stat. 1361. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also has administrative responsibility to prevent and, where warranted, to punish such offenses by civil penalties. When linked to terrorism, the aircraft piracy and related offenses are supervised by the Counterterrorism Section (CTS) of the National Security Division. Otherwise, the Criminal Division, Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section should be contacted.

[updated January 2020]

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-63.010 Overview](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.010.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.100 Aircraft Piracy and Related Offenses](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.100.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.110 Interference with Flight Crew Members and Attendants](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.110.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.135 Negotiated Pleas for Aircraft Piracy Within the Special Aircraft Jurisdiction of the United States](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.135.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.161 Prosecution Policy for Carrying Weapons or Explosives Aboard Aircraft (49 U.S.C. §§ 46314 & 46505)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.161.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.171 Prosecution Policy for False Information (49 U.S.C. &$167 46507(1))](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.171.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.181 Prosecution Policy for Aircraft Piracy Outside the Special Aircraft Jurisdiction of the United States (49 U.S.C. § 46502(b))](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.181.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.200 Destruction of Aircraft and Motor Vehicles and Related Offenses (18 U.S.C. § § 31 - 35)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.200.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.221 Prosecutive Policy for 18 U.S.C. § 32(b)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.221.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.231 Prosecutive Policy for Threats to Destroy Aircraft](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.231.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.241 Prosecutive Policy for Destruction of Motor Vehicles—18 U.S.C. § 33](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.241.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.251 Prosecutive Policy for Imparting or Conveying False Information (Bomb Hoax)—18 U.S.C. § 35](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.251.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.260 Death Penalty](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.260.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.500 Firearms Generally](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.500.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.100. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.