Narrative:

Mechanic in ZZZ1 called in regards to an A319 that arrived with the lower reverser half access panel to the reverser latches, found open. Mechanic stated that there was no damage to the hinges and the panel did secure close, and the latches were svcable. With the panel closed, mechanic also stated panel did not stick out into the slipstream. He did advise there was some damage on the corner of the door that would necessitate a repair on the door or replacement. The mechanic and I felt an interim repair with tape around the access door would suffice and be within our maintenance operating policies. I also had the engine maintenance controller on the phone call also, as I did not have immediate access to the pwrplant component manual and also wanted to confer with the engine controller that there was not a reference I might have been missing. Interim repair was made and aircraft dispatched with a carry forward item. Aircraft landed in ZZZ2 and the door was found open again -- but this time the hinges got damaged and aircraft went out for door replacement. It was during the check and investigation for the part number of the door that it was found that the door was not only an access panel, but also acts as a pressure relief door as noted in its nomenclature in the ipc and amm for removal and installation. In the future, having learned from this incident, I would not have allowed any interim repairs on this door and would have had the item repaired before departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 319 R ENG REVERSER COWL LATCH ACCESS PANEL INTERIM REPAIR WAS DEFERRED IN NON COMPLIANCE AS THE PANEL ALSO SERVED AS A BLOWOUT PANEL.

Narrative: MECH IN ZZZ1 CALLED IN REGARDS TO AN A319 THAT ARRIVED WITH THE LOWER REVERSER HALF ACCESS PANEL TO THE REVERSER LATCHES, FOUND OPEN. MECH STATED THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE HINGES AND THE PANEL DID SECURE CLOSE, AND THE LATCHES WERE SVCABLE. WITH THE PANEL CLOSED, MECH ALSO STATED PANEL DID NOT STICK OUT INTO THE SLIPSTREAM. HE DID ADVISE THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE ON THE CORNER OF THE DOOR THAT WOULD NECESSITATE A REPAIR ON THE DOOR OR REPLACEMENT. THE MECH AND I FELT AN INTERIM REPAIR WITH TAPE AROUND THE ACCESS DOOR WOULD SUFFICE AND BE WITHIN OUR MAINT OPERATING POLICIES. I ALSO HAD THE ENG MAINT CTLR ON THE PHONE CALL ALSO, AS I DID NOT HAVE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THE PWRPLANT COMPONENT MANUAL AND ALSO WANTED TO CONFER WITH THE ENG CTLR THAT THERE WAS NOT A REF I MIGHT HAVE BEEN MISSING. INTERIM REPAIR WAS MADE AND ACFT DISPATCHED WITH A CARRY FORWARD ITEM. ACFT LANDED IN ZZZ2 AND THE DOOR WAS FOUND OPEN AGAIN -- BUT THIS TIME THE HINGES GOT DAMAGED AND ACFT WENT OUT FOR DOOR REPLACEMENT. IT WAS DURING THE CHK AND INVESTIGATION FOR THE PART NUMBER OF THE DOOR THAT IT WAS FOUND THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT ONLY AN ACCESS PANEL, BUT ALSO ACTS AS A PRESSURE RELIEF DOOR AS NOTED IN ITS NOMENCLATURE IN THE IPC AND AMM FOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION. IN THE FUTURE, HAVING LEARNED FROM THIS INCIDENT, I WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED ANY INTERIM REPAIRS ON THIS DOOR AND WOULD HAVE HAD THE ITEM REPAIRED BEFORE DEP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.