I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7660 
To clarify minimum altitudes for go-arounds, inspection passes, practice 
approaches, and qualified instrument approaches. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 13, 2024 
Ms. HAGEMAN (for herself, Mr. WEBER of Texas, and Mr. SMITH of Ne-
braska) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To clarify minimum altitudes for go-arounds, inspection 
passes, practice approaches, and qualified instrument ap-
proaches. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Backcountry Aviation 
Protection Act’’. 
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SEC. 
2. 
CLARIFYING 
MINIMUM 
ALTITUDES 
FOR 
GO- 
AROUNDS, INSPECTION PASSES, PRACTICE 
APPROACHES, AND QUALIFIED INSTRUMENT 
APPROACHES. 
(a) REVISED REGULATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall 
revise regulations as necessary to allow a properly 
qualified pilot operating an aircraft to conduct, with-
out regard to the minimum altitudes set forth in 
such sections— 
(A) in the case of section 91.119 of title 
14, Code of Federal Regulations, a go-around, 
an inspection pass, a practice approach, or a 
qualified instrument approach; 
(B) in the case of section 91.177 of such 
title 14, a qualified instrument approach; and 
(C) in the case of section 91.515 of such 
title 14, a go-around, a practice approach, or a 
qualified instrument approach. 
(2) 
LANDING
CONFIGURATION
REQUIRE-
MENT.—In revising regulations under paragraph (1), 
the Administrator may require, through a codified 
regulation, an aircraft to be in a landing configura-
tion when it conducts a go-around, a practice ap-
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proach, or a qualified instrument approach and is 
below the applicable minimum altitude. 
(b) PROHIBITION
ON
FAA ENFORCEMENT
AC-
TIONS.—Beginning on the date that is 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator may not 
take an enforcement action against a person under section 
91.119 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, related 
to a go-around, inspection pass, or practice approach un-
less the Administrator has published final regulations in 
the Federal Register as required by subsection (a). 
(c) CLARIFYING NO SHIFT IN BURDEN OF PROOF.— 
In accordance with section 556(d) of title 5, United States 
Code, in an enforcement action for a violation of section 
91.119, 91.177, or 91.515 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, the burden of proof shall be upon the Admin-
istrator to prove each element of the offense and the inap-
plicability of each exception to the offense, including take-
off, landing, go-around, inspection pass, practice ap-
proach, or qualified instrument approach maneuvers, as 
applicable. 
(d) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall 
impose a requirement on a person to complete a go- 
around, inspection pass, or practice approach before a 
landing. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) GO-AROUND.—The term ‘‘go-around’’— 
(A) means an aborted landing which oc-
curs at any point prior to the aircraft coming 
to a complete stop at a potential landing site; 
and 
(B) includes a maneuver— 
(i) for flight safety purposes; or 
(ii) to practice or instruct the appro-
priate procedures for an aborted landing. 
(2) INSPECTION PASS.—The term ‘‘inspection 
pass’’ means a maneuver conducted to evaluate, at 
a low altitude, whether a potential landing site is 
suitable for takeoff and landing. 
(3) INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE; IFR 
CONDITIONS.—The terms ‘‘instrument approach pro-
cedure’’ and ‘‘IFR conditions’’ have the meaning 
given those terms in section 1.1 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations. 
(4) POTENTIAL LANDING SITE.—The term ‘‘po-
tential landing site’’ includes any place on the sur-
face of land or water where— 
(A) the takeoff or landing of an aircraft is 
not prohibited; and 
(B) the person operating the aircraft be-
lieves that, considering the aircraft’s takeoff 
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and landing performance and the person’s skill 
as a pilot, it is possible a landing and subse-
quent takeoff could safely occur in the area 
such that it is objectively reasonable to evaluate 
the area at a low altitude. 
(5) PRACTICE APPROACH.—The term ‘‘practice 
approach’’ means a maneuver conducted with or 
without the intent to land for the purpose of prac-
ticing— 
(A) an instrument approach procedure in 
conditions other than IFR conditions, provided 
that the pilot complies with— 
(i) the published instrument approach 
procedure; or 
(ii) a clearance or instruction issued 
by air traffic control; or 
(B) a simulated engine failure or emer-
gency descent. 
(6) QUALIFIED INSTRUMENT APPROACH.—The 
term ‘‘qualified instrument approach’’ means an in-
strument approach procedure under actual IFR con-
ditions in which the pilot complies with— 
(A) the published instrument approach 
procedure; or 
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(B) a clearance or instruction issued by air 
traffic control. 
Æ 
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