AD 50-31-01

final rule

Airworthiness Directives; CESSNA Model 120 and 140 Airplanes

AD Number
50-31-01
Status
final_rule
Effective Date
Product Category
aircraft
Docket
Unknown
FR Citation
This information is not available.

Applicability

TypeManufacturerModelDetails
aircraft Cessna Aircraft Company 120 Airworthiness Directives; CESSNA Model 120 and 140 Airplanes
aircraft Cessna Aircraft Company 140 Airworthiness Directives; CESSNA Model 120 and 140 Airplanes
aircraft Cessna Aircraft Company 140A Airworthiness Directives; CESSNA Model 120 and 140 Airplanes

Unsafe Condition

Fin spar fatigue failures have occurred in flight due to inadequate inspection difficulty, resulting in flange buckles or cracks in the spar and spar reinforcing channel.

AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.

Required Actions

Inspect the fin spar for flange buckles or cracks using an 8-power magnifying glass. If failure exists, replace the spar with one incorporating a 0.051 24ST alclad fin spar reinforcing channel (Cessna P/N 0431129 or equivalent). If no failure, install reinforcing angles (Cessna P/N 0431145 and 1431145-1 or equivalent). For spot-welded aircraft, drill out spots with a No. 30 drill, pry skin loose, inspect, and replace spot welds with 1/8-inch rivets or use larger rivets if damage prevents proper filling.

AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.

Compliance Time

Compliance required as soon as possible and not later than August 1, 1950, except for spot-welded aircraft which must comply by September 1, 1950.

AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.

Affected Aircraft

Cessna Model 120 and 140 aircraft, serial numbers 8001 to 15035 inclusive, where the 0.051 reinforcing channel or 0.040 reinforcing angles have not been installed.

AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.

Federal Register Abstract

Fin Spar Reinforcement

Applicability Source Text

Show captured applicability text from the source AD
AD Final Rules - DRS_50-31-01.html
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AD Number:
50-31-01
Document Type:
AD Final Rules
Docket Number:
Unknown
Subject Heading:
Airworthiness Directives; CESSNA Model 120 and 140 Airplanes
Subject:
Fin Spar Reinforcement
Status:
Current
Citation:
This information is not available.
Citation Publish Date:
Effective Date:
Make:
Cessna Aircraft Company
Model:
120 | 140 | 140A
Product Type:
Aircraft
Product Subtype:
Small Airplane
Affected AD:
Superseded AD:
Affected By:
Superseded By:
Service/Office:
Office of Primary Responsibility:
CFR Part Reference:
Part 39
Comments:
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES FINAL RULES: 50-31-01
CITATION:   This information is not available.

PAGE NUMBER:  

DOCKET NUMBER:   Unknown

AMENDMENT:  

AD NUMBER:   50-31-01

SUBJECT HEADING:   Airworthiness Directives; CESSNA Model 120 and 140 Airplanes

ACTION:  

SUMMARY:  

DATES:  

ADDRESSES:  

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  

REGULATORY TEXT:  
50-31-01 CESSNA: Applies to All Models 120 and 140 Aircraft, Serial Numbers 8001 to 15035, Inclusive, on Which the 0.051 Reinforcing Channel or 0.040 Reinforcing Angles Have Not Been Installed.

Compliance required as soon as possible and not later than August 1, 1950, except as indicated below.

Because two fin spar fatigue failures have occurred in flight, indicating inadequate inspection due to the difficulty of such inspection, the fin must be removed for inspection. Inspection can then be best accomplished by removing five rivets in the fin bottom rib skin attachment and all attaching rivets through the spar and doubler flanges to permit raising the adjacent skin. The front face of the spar and the spar reinforcing channel should then be carefully inspected for flange buckles or cracks with at least an 8-power magnifying glass in the bend radii and in the adjacent flange rivet or clearance holes in the region of the bottom rib attachment. Modify in accordance with item 1 or 2 herein:

1. If failure exists, the spar must be replaced with a spar incorporating an 0.051 24ST alclad fin spar reinforcing channel, Cessna P/N 0431129, or equivalent.

2. If no failure exists, reinforcing angles, Cessna P/N 0431145 and 1431145-1 or equivalent, must be installed.

(Cessna Service Letter No. 62 dated April 10, 1950, covers this same subject.)

Some of the first airplanes were manufactured using spot welded instead of riveted construction. The following applies to these aircraft and should be accomplished not later than September 1, 1950:

Drill out center of spots with No. 30 drill. Carefully pry skin loose from spar and root rib using a thin lever. Inspect and accomplish 1 or 2 above replacing all drilled spot welds with 1/8- inch rivets as required. In case that sheet or underlying structure is left with a damaged hole which cannot be properly filled with a 1/8-inch rivet, replace with 5/32-inch rivet or add an additional 1/8-inch rivet on each side of damaged hole.

This supersedes AD 50-17-01.


FOOTER:

Document Text

Show stored source text (verify against official source)
AD Final Rules - DRS_50-31-01.html
Copy URL
Print/Save as PDF
Document Versions
 Feedback
Details
AD Number:
50-31-01
Document Type:
AD Final Rules
Docket Number:
Unknown
Subject Heading:
Airworthiness Directives; CESSNA Model 120 and 140 Airplanes
Subject:
Fin Spar Reinforcement
Status:
Current
Citation:
This information is not available.
Citation Publish Date:
Effective Date:
Make:
Cessna Aircraft Company
Model:
120 | 140 | 140A
Product Type:
Aircraft
Product Subtype:
Small Airplane
Affected AD:
Superseded AD:
Affected By:
Superseded By:
Service/Office:
Office of Primary Responsibility:
CFR Part Reference:
Part 39
Comments:
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES FINAL RULES: 50-31-01
CITATION:   This information is not available.

PAGE NUMBER:  

DOCKET NUMBER:   Unknown

AMENDMENT:  

AD NUMBER:   50-31-01

SUBJECT HEADING:   Airworthiness Directives; CESSNA Model 120 and 140 Airplanes

ACTION:  

SUMMARY:  

DATES:  

ADDRESSES:  

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  

REGULATORY TEXT:  
50-31-01 CESSNA: Applies to All Models 120 and 140 Aircraft, Serial Numbers 8001 to 15035, Inclusive, on Which the 0.051 Reinforcing Channel or 0.040 Reinforcing Angles Have Not Been Installed.

Compliance required as soon as possible and not later than August 1, 1950, except as indicated below.

Because two fin spar fatigue failures have occurred in flight, indicating inadequate inspection due to the difficulty of such inspection, the fin must be removed for inspection. Inspection can then be best accomplished by removing five rivets in the fin bottom rib skin attachment and all attaching rivets through the spar and doubler flanges to permit raising the adjacent skin. The front face of the spar and the spar reinforcing channel should then be carefully inspected for flange buckles or cracks with at least an 8-power magnifying glass in the bend radii and in the adjacent flange rivet or clearance holes in the region of the bottom rib attachment. Modify in accordance with item 1 or 2 herein:

1. If failure exists, the spar must be replaced with a spar incorporating an 0.051 24ST alclad fin spar reinforcing channel, Cessna P/N 0431129, or equivalent.

2. If no failure exists, reinforcing angles, Cessna P/N 0431145 and 1431145-1 or equivalent, must be installed.

(Cessna Service Letter No. 62 dated April 10, 1950, covers this same subject.)

Some of the first airplanes were manufactured using spot welded instead of riveted construction. The following applies to these aircraft and should be accomplished not later than September 1, 1950:

Drill out center of spots with No. 30 drill. Carefully pry skin loose from spar and root rib using a thin lever. Inspect and accomplish 1 or 2 above replacing all drilled spot welds with 1/8- inch rivets as required. In case that sheet or underlying structure is left with a damaged hole which cannot be properly filled with a 1/8-inch rivet, replace with 5/32-inch rivet or add an additional 1/8-inch rivet on each side of damaged hole.

This supersedes AD 50-17-01.


FOOTER:

Source: Official FAA Source ↗

Retrieved: Apr 8, 2026

Rights: U.S. Government Public Domain

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