TxSrv wrote:

Mxsmanic wrote:

...
I believe it is indeed inherited from maritime law, wherein
the captain of a vessel is master and commander of that vessel
with very broad authority.

Note that refusing to obey the commands of the pilot in
command would be mutiny. So if the PIC tells a passenger to
give up the controls and the latter refuses to do so, it's a
felony.


Oh, my. A private aircraft flight, not involving terrorism? A
federal criminal statute may exist, so if so, please cite it for us, to
prove you know how to research and understand the law. Cite two numbers
with "USC" in the middle. Forget state law; a generic statute should
fit, but it has nothing specifically to do with pilots, airplanes, or
maritime law.

You might find this interesting...

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/foia...9/crm01406.htm

The above scenario would seem to fit the
description of "interfering with a flight
crew" and reading the narrative, I would
tend to think it would apply to GA as well
as commercial flights. The act of refusing
to relinquish the flight controls does not
seem to meet the definition of mutiny,

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/foia...9/crm01407.htm

though it might easily escalate to it...