# AD 47-50-06: Shock Strut Cracks

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: Piper J3C-65S, PA-11 and J3C-65 (Army L-4; L-4A; L-4B (Navy NE-1); L-4H; L-4J (Navy NE-2))
- Published: June 17, 1950
- Issued: June 17, 1950
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane
- Registered aircraft: 469 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/D065F8FA405735468625698B00763CDB.0001
- DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/47-50-06

## The airworthiness directive

47-50-06 PIPER: Applies to All J3C-65 Series Airplanes Incorporating Landing Gear Approved for 1,220 Pounds Maximum Weight and PA-11 Airplane Serial Numbers 11-1 to 11- 352, Inclusive; 11-354 to 11-357, Inclusive; 11-359, 11-361 to 11-369, Inclusive; 11-371 to 11- 375, Inclusive; 11-377 to 11-385, Inclusive; 11-387, 11-396 to 11-402, Inclusive; 11-413, 11-414 and 11-430.

Compliance required at the next periodic inspection but not later than March 15, 1948.

Inspect the shock struts for cracks at the ends of the stop bolt slots. Damaged struts shall be properly repaired or replaced. To eliminate possible cracking of the shock struts at the ends of the slots, the rubber stop discs, Piper P/N 81232-13, four per airplane, shall be replaced with four leather discs, Piper P/N 81232-30 or may be made from belting leather, 11/16-inch diameter x 3/16-inch thick.

(Piper Service Bulletin No. 103 dated September 29, 1947, covers this same subject.)

## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS A-691](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A-691): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 3 of 7 models: J3C-65 (Army L-4; L-4A; L-4B (Navy NE-1); L-4H; L-4J (Navy NE-2)), PA-11, J3C-65S

## Registered aircraft it may apply to (OpenAirDocs)

Matched by airframe and engine model; the AD's applicability may narrow it by serial number, part number or equipment.

- Aircraft: 469 (469 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Piper 466, Piper / Harris 1, Piper-Carter 1, Piper-Smith 1

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Piper PA-11](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-11): 439 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3C-65S](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65s): 27 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper-Smith PA-11](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-smith-pa-11): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper-Carter PA-11](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-carter-pa-11): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper / Harris PA-11](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-harris-pa-11): 1 aircraft (airframe model)

All 6 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/47-50-06/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/47-50-06/aircraft.md

Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs.

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