Opinion ID: 2487056
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Preemptive Scope of Section 44112

Text: Every version of the owner/lessor liability federal statute since its enactment in 1948 has referenced injury, death, or property damage that has occurred on land or water, or on the surface of the earth. At no time has Congress removed this geographic requirement from the federal statute. With regard to statutory interpretation, the United States Supreme Court has stated that it is the duty of a court to give effect, if possible, to every clause and word of a statute. United States v. Menasche, 348 U.S. 528, 538-39, 75 S.Ct. 513, 99 L.Ed. 615 (1955) (quoting Montclair v. Ramsdell, 107 U.S. 147, 152, 2 S.Ct. 391, 27 L.Ed. 431 (1883)). To fulfill this directive, we must determine the Congressional intent embodied in this very specific geographic language. The words on land or water or on the surface of the earth may be read to specify that the limitation on liability only applies to death, injury, or damage that is caused to people or property that are physically on the ground or in the water. Specifically, the limitation on liability would apply only to individuals and property that are underneath the aircraft during its flight, ascent, or descent. Under this interpretation, Aerolease would not benefit from any limitation articulated by section 44112 because Martinez was not on land or water at the time of the crashhe was a passenger inside the aircraft. To determine if such interpretation is consistent with Congressional intent, we return to the circumstances that led to the enactment of section 504 in 1948. The House Report that accompanied section 504 criticized a law in effect in multiple states that imposed absolute liability on owners of aircraft for damage caused on the surface of the earth.  1948 U.S.C.C.A.N. 1836, 1837 (emphasis supplied). As previously stated, section 5 of the Uniform Aeronautics Act (UAA) allowed absolute liability for  injuries to persons or property on the land or water beneath.  Id. at 1836-37 (emphasis supplied). The specific language of the UAA that imposed absolute liability for injuries to people or property beneath the plane supports the more narrow interpretation of the phrase on land or water in current section 44112. Indeed, the title of section 5 of the UAA was  Damage on Land.  Although Aerolease contends that Congress intended for section 44112 to cover any injuries, death, or damages caused by a plane striking the surface of the earth, Vreeland is correct that the Uniform Aeronautics Act contained a separate section that addressed injuries to airmen or passengers who were in the plane at the time of the incident. In fact, as demonstrated below, the UAA viewed the tort rights of individuals who were aboard the aircraft quite differently from those of people on the ground beneath the aircraft: § 4. Lawfulness of flight.Flight in aircraft over the lands and waters of this State is lawful ... unless so conducted as to be imminently dangerous to persons or property lawfully on the land or water beneath. ... § 5. Damage on land.The owner of every aircraft which is operated over the lands or the waters of this State is absolutely liable for injuries to persons or property on the land or water beneath, caused by the ascent, descent or flight of the aircraft, or the dropping or falling of any object therefrom, whether such owner was negligent or not, unless the injury is caused in whole or in part by the negligence of the person injured, or of the owner or bailee of the property injured. If the aircraft is leased at the time of the injury to persons or property, both owner and lessee shall be liable, and they may be sued jointly or either or both of them may be sued separately. An aeronaut who is not the owner or lessee shall be liable only for the consequences of his own negligence. The injured person, or owner or bailee of the injured property, shall have a lien on the aircraft causing the injury to the extent of the damage caused by the aircraft or objects falling from it. § 6. Collision of Aircraft.The liability of the owner of one aircraft to the owner of another aircraft, or to aeronauts or passengers on either aircraft, for damage caused by collision on land or in the air, shall be determined by the rules of law applicable to torts on land. § 7. Jurisdiction Over Crimes and Torts.All crimes, torts, and other wrongs committed by or against an aeronaut or passenger while in flight over this State shall be governed by the laws of this State.... Unif. Aeronautics Act §§ 4-7, 11 U.L.A. 160-64 (1938) (emphasis supplied). Thus, while the UAA imposed absolute liability for injury, death, or damage that occurred on the land or water beneath, the rights of airplane passengers and crew members were governed by the law of the state that adopted the UAA. Congress was indisputably aware of the Uniform Aeronautics Act when it enacted section 504 in 1948. When Congress drafted language to limit the liability of airplane owners and lessors, it only addressed liability toward persons or property on the surface of the earth. Section 504 did not expressly address airplane passengers or airmen, even though there were separate sections of the UAA that did so. Had Congress intended to preempt the provisions of the UAA that governed the tort rights of passengers and airmen, it could have easily modified the language of section 504 to not solely address injuries or damage that occur on the surface of the earth (whether on land or water). We conclude that by adopting a federal law that specifically referenced damages or injuries that occur on the surface of the earth, the 1948 Congress did not intend to preempt state law with regard to injuries to passengers or aircraft crew. Further, section 1404/44112 is not the only federal aviation statute that references persons and property that are on the ground, i.e., beneath the aircraft in the course of its ascent, descent, or flight. Subsection (b) of current 49 U.S.C. § 40103 provides: (b) Use of airspace.(1) The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall develop plans and policy for the use of the navigable airspace and assign by regulation or order the use of the airspace necessary to ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficient use of airspace. The Administrator may modify or revoke an assignment when required in the public interest. (2) The Administrator shall prescribe air traffic regulations on the flight of aircraft (including regulations on safe altitudes) for (A) navigating, protecting, and identifying aircraft; (B) protecting individuals and property on the ground; (C) using the navigable airspace efficiently; and (D) preventing collision between aircraft, between aircraft and land or water vehicles, and between aircraft and airborne objects. (Emphasis supplied.) This provision was adapted from and enacted as part of the 1958 Federal Aviation Act. See Fed. Aviation Act, Pub.L. No. 85-726 § 307, 72 Stat. 731, 749-50 (1958). Thus, at a time when the airplane owner/lessor liability provision was incorporated into the FAA, Congress expressed an interest in protecting people and property on the ground. Hence, to not afford meaning to the words on land or water in current section 44112, this Court would not only be acting contrary to congressional intent, but would also be failing to give meaning to every word in section 44112. This would be completely contrary to the directive of the United States Supreme Court in Menasche. See 348 U.S. at 538-39, 75 S.Ct. 513.