SentenceCalc

Crimes Aboard an Aircraft Sentence Calculator

This page covers cases where a person committed a crime such as assault or theft on board an aircraft. Federal sentences for crimes aboard an aircraft are calculated under §2A5.3 of the Sentencing Guidelines. Answer the questions below to see the range for a specific case.

Verified Checked against the manual text in at least five AI-assisted review rounds. Not yet reviewed by an attorney. Guidelines Manual effective November 1, 2025Updated October 4, 2026

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Starting level and typical ranges

The starting level for this offense depends on another offense: offense level of the underlying crime. This is the crime listed in 49 U.S.C. §46506 that the person was convicted of, such as assault, theft or a sexual abuse offense. Work out that crime's level under its own guideline and enter it here. Use the calculator above and enter that level when asked.

Important details

  • The calculator does not apply mandatory minimum sentences set by statute for this offense. If the statute of conviction requires one and it is higher than the range shown, the minimum controls; check the statute or ask a lawyer.

Frequently asked questions

Is the calculator accurate for crimes aboard an aircraft?

It follows §2A5.3 of the Guidelines Manual effective November 1, 2025. It passed 5 review rounds, each comparing every number, rule and label with the manual text, and its last round found nothing to correct. Those reviews were done with AI tools, not by lawyers, and it has not yet been reviewed by an attorney, so mistakes are possible. The guidelines are advisory, and a lawyer who knows the case can tell you what actually applies.