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Minimum Safe Altitudes

91.119 states that no one can operate an airplane below an altitude such that:

  • Anywhere: If a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.
  • Over congested areas*: 1000' above the highest obstacle, within a 2000' radius of the aircraft
  • Over noncongested areas: 500' above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas.
    • In this case, cannot be more than 500' from any person, vessel vehicle, or structure

Under IFR

91.177 states that no person may operate and aircraft under IFR below:

  • The minimum altitude for the route or segment (usually the MEA or MOCA), except for takeoff and landing
  • If no minimum IFR altitude is defined, then:
    • Over mountainous terrain: 2,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 4nm from the course flown
    • Over nonmountainous terrain: 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 4nm from the course flown

* Can be denoted by yellow shading on a sectional.