# AD 54-26-02: Control cable fraying - Type: Airworthiness directive - Status: Current - Products: Univair 415-C, 415-CD, 415-D, 415-E and 415-G - Published: December 4, 1956 - Issued: December 4, 1956 - Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD - Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane - Registered aircraft: 1,037 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs) - FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/2588AE66EC951E3286256A4D004BC93A.0001 - DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/54-26-02 ## The airworthiness directive 54-26-02 VEST (ERCO): Applies to All Ercoupe Model 415 Series Aircraft and Models E and G. Compliance required as indicated. As a result of continual fraying and failure of control cables P/N 415-52148 or P/N 415-52172 in the control column assembly where they wrap around the control quadrant P/N 415-52130 or P/N 415-52122 the following inspection must be conducted until such time as a control quadrant is installed which is considered satisfactory by the Administrator: After every 100 hours of operation remove control cables P/N 415-52148 or P/N 415-52172 and inspect them for any signs or indications of fraying or failure. Replace any cables which are not found to be in perfect condition. It is important that the cables be removed for the inspection since it has been found that inspection of the cables while in place will not always reveal defects. Also determine whether the aileron stop screw may be bearing on the cable, and, if so, it should be replaced by new stop boltErco P/N 415-52164-2. Modifications approved by the FAA which are believed to eliminate the fraying difficulties are described in the following data: 1. Drawing No. 514, change "A", Met-Co-Aire Co., Fullerton Municipal Airport, Fullerton, Calif.; 2. Drawing No. New 101, change "A," J.V. Newman, Bates Aviation Inc., Hawthorne Municipal Airport, Hawthorne, Calif. 3. Drawing No. 12, dated November 1, 1954, Ed's Airmotive, 430 Windsor Way, Renton 2, Wash.; 4. Drawing No. 415-52137, change "1," dated February 21, 1955, Vest Aircraft Parts Division, Denver, Colo. When one of these or an equivalent FAA-approved modification has been installed, the special 100-hour inspection outlined above may be dispensed with and normal inspection period resumed. Rigging of controls should follow the process outlined in Ercoupe Service Department Bulletin No. 13 and Ercoupe Service Department Memorandum No. 35. This supersedes AD 47-42-21. ## Affected data sheets (2) (OpenAirDocs) The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names. - [TCDS A-787](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A-787): Univair Aircraft Corporation; names 3 of 8 models: 415-D, 415-G, 415-E - [TCDS A-718](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A-718): Univair Aircraft Corporation; names 2 of 2 models: 415-CD, 415-C ## 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: 1,037 (1,037 by airframe model, 0 by engine model) - Makers: Ercoupe 793, Engineering & Research 210, Forney 21, Erco 12, Univair 1 Models with the most aircraft: - [Ercoupe 415-C](https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-c): 623 aircraft (airframe model) - [Engineering & Research 415-C](https://openairdocs.org/model/engineering-research-415-c): 160 aircraft (airframe model) - [Ercoupe 415-D](https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-d): 101 aircraft (airframe model) - [Ercoupe 415-CD](https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-cd): 48 aircraft (airframe model) - [Engineering & Research 415-D](https://openairdocs.org/model/engineering-research-415-d): 24 aircraft (airframe model) - [Ercoupe 415-E](https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-e): 18 aircraft (airframe model) - [Forney 415-C](https://openairdocs.org/model/forney-415-c): 17 aircraft (airframe model) - [Engineering & Research 415-CD](https://openairdocs.org/model/engineering-research-415-cd): 16 aircraft (airframe model) - [Engineering & Research 415-E](https://openairdocs.org/model/engineering-research-415-e): 7 aircraft (airframe model) - [Erco 415-C](https://openairdocs.org/model/erco-415-c): 7 aircraft (airframe model) - [Erco 415-D](https://openairdocs.org/model/erco-415-d): 4 aircraft (airframe model) - [Engineering & Research 415-G](https://openairdocs.org/model/engineering-research-415-g): 3 aircraft (airframe model) - [Ercoupe 415-G](https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-g): 3 aircraft (airframe model) - [Forney 415-D](https://openairdocs.org/model/forney-415-d): 2 aircraft (airframe model) - [Forney 415-CD](https://openairdocs.org/model/forney-415-cd): 1 aircraft (airframe model) - [Forney 415-E](https://openairdocs.org/model/forney-415-e): 1 aircraft (airframe model) - [Erco 415-CD](https://openairdocs.org/model/erco-415-cd): 1 aircraft (airframe model) - [Univair 415-D](https://openairdocs.org/model/univair-415-d): 1 aircraft (airframe model) All 18 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/54-26-02/models.md Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/54-26-02/aircraft.md Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.