Under FAA Regulation 14 CFR §91.119, aircraft must maintain specific minimum altitudes depending on the type of area they’re flying over, to protect people and property on the ground:
🏘️ Over Populated Areas:
- Minimum altitude: 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet.
- This includes cities, towns, neighborhoods, and any places where people gather, such as beaches, parks, schools, trails, etc.
✅ Important: Both Dartmouth and Westport meet the FAA’s definition of “congested or populated areas.”
FAA enforcement cases and guidance have consistently interpreted residential neighborhoods, coastal beach areas, and town centers—even in small or rural towns—as falling under this standard.
🌾 Over Sparsely Populated Areas:
- Aircraft must remain at least 500 feet above the surface.
🚤 Over Open Areas (e.g., water, farmland):
- Aircraft must remain 500 feet away from any person, vehicle, vessel, or structure—even if technically over open land.
These rules exist to protect public safety. Aircraft flying lower than these limits without a valid reason (e.g., takeoff or landing) are likely in violation of FAA regulations.
🛑 Repeated low flights over homes, beaches like Horseneck and Round Hill, or state parks — as seen in Dartmouth and Westport — are not legal and should be reported.
Safe Sky South Coast 