United States v. Causby

United States v. Causby was a 1946 Supreme Court case that addressed property rights and aircraft noise. The Causbys owned land near an airport, and frequent low-flying planes caused significant disturbance, damaging their chickens and devaluing their property. The Court ruled that even though the land was technically owned by the government for airport use, when aircraft flights intruded on the property to a degree that interfered with the owner’s use and enjoyment, it constituted a physical invasion. This case established that landowners have rights to the airspace directly above their property, and government or other entities are liable if their aircraft invade those rights significantly.