{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/5.1-13.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/5.1-13.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/5.1-13.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/5.1-13.html"}],"law_id":59873,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59873,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-13","catch_line":"Operation of aircraft while under influence of intoxicating liquors or drugs; reckless operation","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 5-10.1; 1964, c. 416; 1966, c. 576.","full_text":"Any person who shall operate any aircraft within the airspace over, above or upon the lands or waters of this Commonwealth, while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or of any narcotic or any habit-forming drugs shall be guilty of a felony and shall be confined in a state correctional facility not less than one nor more than five years, or, in the discretion of the court or jury trying the case, be confined in jail not exceeding twelve months and fined not exceeding $500, or both such fine and imprisonment.\n\t\tAny person who shall operate any aircraft within the airspace over, above or upon the lands or waters of this Commonwealth carelessly or heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others, or without due caution and circumspection and in a manner so as to endanger any person or property, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":219330,"text":"Any person who shall operate any aircraft within the airspace over, above or upon the lands or waters of this Commonwealth, while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or of any narcotic or any habit-forming drugs shall be guilty of a felony and shall be confined in a state correctional facility not less than one nor more than five years, or, in the discretion of the court or jury trying the case, be confined in jail not exceeding twelve months and fined not exceeding $500, or both such fine and imprisonment.\n\t\tAny person who shall operate any aircraft within the airspace over, above or upon the lands or waters of this Commonwealth carelessly or heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others, or without due caution and circumspection and in a manner so as to endanger any person or property, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15015,"edition_id":1,"name":"Illegal Operation, Etc.; Procedure; Penalties","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14180,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:51:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:51:30","permalink":{"id":233545,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15015,"identifier":"2","token":"5.1\/1\/2","url":"\/5.1\/1\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14180,"edition_id":1,"name":"Aircraft, Airmen and Airports Generally","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13105,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:09","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:09","permalink":{"id":233301,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14180,"identifier":"1","token":"5.1\/1","url":"\/5.1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13105,"edition_id":1,"name":"Aviation","identifier":"5.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":233299,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13105,"identifier":"5.1","token":"5.1","url":"\/5.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":59873,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-13","catch_line":"Operation of aircraft while under influence of intoxicating liquors or drugs; reckless operation","url":"\/5.1-13\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-13","metadata":false},{"id":60502,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-14","catch_line":"Operation of unregistered aircraft","url":"\/5.1-14\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-14","metadata":false},{"id":85354,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-15","catch_line":"Operation of aircraft by unlicensed persons","url":"\/5.1-15\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-15","metadata":false},{"id":82410,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-16","catch_line":"Tampering with, etc., airplanes or markings of airports, landing fields or other aeronautical facilities","url":"\/5.1-16\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-16","metadata":false},{"id":64817,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-16.1","catch_line":"Misuse of licensed airports","url":"\/5.1-16.1\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-16.1","metadata":false},{"id":68379,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-17","catch_line":"Use of aircraft for hunting","url":"\/5.1-17\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-17","metadata":false},{"id":64005,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-18","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/5.1-18\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-18","metadata":false},{"id":80619,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-20","catch_line":"Pilot may restrain or arrest person interfering with operation of aircraft carrying passengers for hire","url":"\/5.1-20\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-20","metadata":false},{"id":60871,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-21","catch_line":"Powers of conservator of the peace conferred upon pilot","url":"\/5.1-21\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-21","metadata":false},{"id":58124,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-21.1","catch_line":"Powers of conservators of the peace conferred upon airport managers or designees","url":"\/5.1-21.1\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-21.1","metadata":false},{"id":66150,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-22","catch_line":"Interference with operation of aircraft; penalties; venue","url":"\/5.1-22\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-22","metadata":false},{"id":75115,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-23","catch_line":"Jurisdiction of local and State Police","url":"\/5.1-23\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-23","metadata":false},{"id":57253,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-24","catch_line":"Penalties","url":"\/5.1-24\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-24","metadata":false},{"id":85247,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-25","catch_line":"Operation of aircraft by nonresident","url":"\/5.1-25\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-25","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":60502,"structure_id":15015,"section_number":"5.1-14","catch_line":"Operation of unregistered aircraft","url":"\/5.1-14\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-14","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/5.1-13\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1964, chapter 416; in 1966, chapter 576.<\/p>","references":[{"id":82582,"section_number":"19.2-390","catch_line":"Reports to be made by local law-enforcement officers, conservators of the peace, clerks of court, Secretary of the Commonwealth and Corrections officials to State Police; material submitted by other agencies","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-390\/"},{"id":74660,"section_number":"19.2-392.12","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Sealing of offenses resulting in a deferred and dismissed disposition or conviction by petition","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.12\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":233547,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59873,"identifier":"5.1-13","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-13","url":"\/5.1-13\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/5.1-13\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-13","dublin_core":{"Title":"Operation of aircraft while under influence of intoxicating liquors or drugs; reckless operation","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 5.1-13","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>Any <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> who shall operate any <span class=\"dictionary\">aircraft<\/span> within the <span class=\"dictionary\">airspace<\/span> over, above or upon the lands or waters of this Commonwealth, while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or of any narcotic or any habit-forming drugs shall be guilty of a <span class=\"dictionary\">felony<\/span> and shall be confined in a state correctional facility not less than one nor more than five years, or, in the discretion of the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> or <span class=\"dictionary\">jury<\/span> trying the case, be confined in jail not exceeding twelve months and fined not exceeding $500, or both such fine and imprisonment.\n\t\tAny <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> who shall operate any <span class=\"dictionary\">aircraft<\/span> within the <span class=\"dictionary\">airspace<\/span> over, above or upon the lands or waters of this Commonwealth carelessly or heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others, or without due caution and circumspection and in a manner so as to endanger any <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> or property, shall be guilty of a <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanor<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nOPERATION OF AIRCRAFT WHILE UNDER INFLUENCE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS OR DRUGS;\nRECKLESS OPERATION (\u00a7 5.1-13)\n\nAny person who shall operate any aircraft within the airspace over, above or\nupon the lands or waters of this Commonwealth, while under the influence of\nintoxicating liquor or of any narcotic or any habit-forming drugs shall be\nguilty of a felony and shall be confined in a state correctional facility not\nless than one nor more than five years, or, in the discretion of the court or\njury trying the case, be confined in jail not exceeding twelve months and fined\nnot exceeding $500, or both such fine and imprisonment.\n\t\tAny person who shall operate any aircraft within the airspace over, above or\nupon the lands or waters of this Commonwealth carelessly or heedlessly in\nwillful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others, or without due\ncaution and circumspection and in a manner so as to endanger any person or\nproperty, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 5-10.1; 1964, c. 416; 1966, c. 576.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}