# AD 87-08-08 R3: Lower spar cap

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: Piper PA-28-140, PA-28-150, PA-28-151, PA-28-160, PA-28-161, PA-28-180, PA-28-181, PA-28-201T, PA-28-235, PA-28-236, PA-28R-180, PA-28R-200 and 19 more
- Effective: May 22, 1989
- Published: April 21, 1989
- Issued: April 6, 1989
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane
- Amendment: 39-6195
- Docket: 87-CE-14-AD
- Registered aircraft: 22,431 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/3A805D11F753EBA78625829700556B61.0001
- DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/87-08-08-R3

## Affected data sheets (2) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS 2A13](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/2A13): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 18 of 18 models: PA-28R-180, PA-28R-201, PA-28-150, PA-28-201T, PA-28-236, PA-28-140, PA-28R-201T, PA-28S-160…
- [TCDS A3SO](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A3SO): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 12 of 13 models: PA-32-300, PA-32-301, PA-32-301FT, PA-32R-300, PA-32-260, PA-32-301T, PA-32RT-300, PA-32S-300…

## 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: 22,431 (22,431 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Piper 22,363, New Piper 67, Piper/Valdes-Ervin 1

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 4,259 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181): 3,549 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 3,505 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161): 1,526 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200): 1,223 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300): 992 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28-151](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151): 961 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235): 859 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260): 650 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-32R-301T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t): 536 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28R-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-180): 535 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-32R-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-300): 510 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28-236](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-236): 480 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-32R-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301): 456 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28R-201T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201t): 368 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28R-201](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201): 352 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28RT-201T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28rt-201t): 255 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-28-160](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-160): 253 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-32RT-300T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300t): 204 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-32RT-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300): 200 aircraft (airframe model)

All 42 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/87-08-08-R3/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/87-08-08-R3/aircraft.md

Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs.

## NTSB investigations that cite this AD (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA18FA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA120), Apr 4, 2018: Piper PA28R (N106ER), Daytona Beach, FL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: Extensive fatigue cracking in the left-wing main spar lower cap and doublers, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the left wing. The fatigue cracks initiated and grew to a critical size due…

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From OpenAirDocs.org, an independent open copy of FAA and NTSB data. Only the Federal Register edition on govinfo.gov is the official legal text of an AD.