Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Company Policy; Human Factors
This report is being submitted in order to bring attention to the third recorded Airbus 320 keel beam re-work damage.  This Aircraft is currently undergoing a maintenance visit at our Maintenance Base.  During the inspection of the Keel beam area; it was found to have numerous mis-drilled/mis-located holes into the structure.  It is believed that this damage occurred during a previous maintenance visit by an Outside vendor. The reason this area was worked previously; was to comply with an Engineering Authorization (E/A) to strengthen the Keel beam areas that were manufactured prior to Airbus using a stronger Keel beam structure currently being used today. The original Keel beam modification was covered on numerous Aircraft during maintenance visits at Airport ZZZ.  Aircraft / Cabin potential damage caused by other damage. Contracted Maintenance. [Recommend] to have a fleet directive assigned to all Airbus Aircraft that had this modification performed at the Outside Vendor (OSV).
Reporter stated that so far; three out of four of their A320 aircraft with serious keel beam damage occurred during a keel beam modification intended to beef-up; strengthen the earlier A320 aircraft Keel beams. Instead; the Airbus Service Bulletin (S/B) the outside vendor had signed-off as accomplished at the repair station during a previous maintenance has now caused extensive maintenance delays and an engineering nightmare for obtaining approved repairs to the keel beam mis-drills and mis-located holes for the main landing gear door fittings. His air carrier has decided to issue a fleet directive to try and identify just how many of their A320s are affected. He and other mechanics at his air carrier are not encouraged by what they have found so far.
An Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) reports another company A320 aircraft was found with numerous mis-drilled and mis-located holes in the aircraft's keel beam. Damage was believed to have occurred during a previous maintenance visit by an outside vendor who had signed-off for accomplishing an Airbus Service Bulletin to strengthen the earlier model A320 keel beams.