Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Civil Aviation Act 1990

Offences and penalties - Security offences

56: Communicating false information affecting safety

You could also call this:

“Don't lie about safety in flying: it's against the law”

You commit an offence if you give someone false information about the safety of anything related to aviation. This includes aircraft, airports, aviation products, services, facilities, or people involved in aviation. It’s an offence if you know the information is false or if you don’t care whether it’s false or not.

If you’re found guilty of this offence, you can be punished. If you’re an individual, you could go to prison for up to 12 months or be fined up to $10,000. If you’re a company, you could be fined up to $100,000.

If your false information causes someone to lose money, and you’re fined for the offence, the court might give some of the fine to the person who lost money. The court can give them up to half of the fine.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM216975.

Topics:
Transport and travel > Air travel Crime and justice > Criminal law
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Part 5 Offences and penalties
Security offences

56Communicating false information affecting safety

  1. Every person commits an offence who by any means provides to another person information relating to the safety of an aircraft, aerodrome, aeronautical product, aviation related service, or any other facility or product used in or connected with aviation, or any person associated therewith, knowing the information to be false or in a manner reckless as to whether it is false.

  2. Every person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on conviction,—

  3. in the case of an individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine not exceeding $10,000; or
    1. in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $100,000.

      1. Where the commission of an offence against subsection (1) causes financial loss to any person and where the court imposes a fine under subsection (2) in respect of that offence, the court may order that such part of the fine as it thinks fit, but in any event not more than one-half of the fine, be awarded to that person.

      Notes
      • Section 56(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
      • Section 56(2)(b): amended, on , by section 41 of the Civil Aviation Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 75).