# AD 53-04-01: Control Stick Attachment

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: Piper PA-18, PA-18-105 (Special), PA-18-125 (Army L-21A), PA-18-135, PA-18-150, PA-18A, PA-18A-135, PA-18A-135 (Restricted), PA-18A-150, PA-18A-150 (Restricted), PA-18A (Restricted), PA-18AS-125 and 7 more
- Published: December 4, 1956
- Issued: December 4, 1956
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane
- Registered aircraft: 3,688 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/D251162111633E8F8625698B0076454E.0001
- DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/53-04-01

## The airworthiness directive

53-04-01 PIPER: Applies to All Model PA-18 Aircraft Which Have Not Had the Control Stick Retention Device Modified to Incorporate a Through Bolt.

Compliance required by April 1, 1953.

In order to prevent the control stick inadvertently pulling out of the socket, continue the existing hole for the retention pin on the quick detachable control stick spring device through the control stick and socket and install an AN 3-14 or AN 3-14A through bolt.

(Piper Service Letter No. 162 dated March 6, 1951, covers this same subject.)

## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS 1A2](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/1A2): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 13 of 18 models: PA-18-105 (Special), PA-18S-105 (Special), PA-18-125 (Army L-21A), PA-18S-135, PA-18AS-135, PA-18S, PA-18S-150, PA-18…

## 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: 3,688 (3,688 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Piper 3,615, Piper/Cub Crafters 46, Cub Crafters 16, Cubs Unlimited/Piper 1, David B Piper 1, Kurt Lepping 1, Piper-Coley 1, Piper-Root 1, Piper/Gerbi Charles R 1, Piper/Johnson C D 1

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 2,065 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18): 477 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18A 150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a-150): 382 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18-135](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-135): 220 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18A](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a): 152 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-105-special): 97 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18-125](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-125): 90 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18 105](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-105): 57 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18A-135](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a-135): 52 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper/Cub Crafters PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-cub-crafters-pa-18-150): 46 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Cub Crafters PA18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/cub-crafters-pa18-150): 16 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18S-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18s-150): 6 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18AS-125](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18as-125): 5 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18S](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18s): 4 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18S-135](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18s-135): 3 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-18S-125](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18s-125): 2 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Cubs Unlimited/Piper PA 18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/cubs-unlimited-piper-pa-18-150): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [David B Piper PA18 REPLICA](https://openairdocs.org/model/david-b-piper-pa18-replica): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper-Root PA-18 SUPER CUB](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-root-pa-18-super-cub): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper-Coley PA-18-125](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-coley-pa-18-125): 1 aircraft (airframe model)

All 31 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/53-04-01/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/53-04-01/aircraft.md

Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs.

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