(MEDELLÍN, COLOMBIA) — American Airlines pulled a Boeing 737 MAX 8 from service after ground crews found apparent bullet holes in the aircraft’s right aileron following a flight from Miami to Medellín, Colombia, the carrier and investigators said.
The aircraft, registration N342SX, operated as Flight AA923 from Miami to Medellín and landed at José María Córdova International Airport on Sunday evening, February 22, 2026, when the damage came to light during an overnight stop, according to the airline’s account and investigators’ preliminary findings.
No injuries occurred, pilots reported no in-flight issues, and the puncture did not affect flight operations, American Airlines said. The airline removed the aircraft from service after the discovery, while moving it through a controlled maintenance sequence that ended with a non-commercial flight to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) for repairs at the airline’s maintenance hub.
American Airlines said in a statement: “Following a routine inspection, our teams identified a puncture to the exterior of one of our aircraft in Medellín, Colombia. The aircraft was immediately removed from service for further inspection and repair. We will work closely with all relevant authorities to investigate this incident.”
Ground crews in Medellín first identified the damage during the overnight stop, and a routine inspection after the return flight to the United States confirmed it after the aircraft landed in Miami at approximately 10:24 a.m. on Monday, February 23, 2026, the draft account said.
The damage involved “a small round entry hole and corresponding exit point” that penetrated the right aileron, a control surface on the wing’s trailing edge. Investigators treated the finding as consistent with a projectile strike and moved quickly to coordinate with the airline on follow-up checks.
American Airlines flew the aircraft back on the scheduled return sector, operating as AA924, then applied temporary structural patching in Miami before repositioning the plane to Dallas-Fort Worth that evening for full repairs and deeper inspection, the draft account said.
Aviation watcher JonNYC first reported the incident on X (Twitter) on February 24, 2026. “Wow. I’m told bullet holes were found on AA aircraft in Medellin, Colombia Monday morning. N342SX (AA924 Monday),” JonNYC wrote, while noting possible right aileron impact.
The timeline, as described by the draft account, left open the possibility that the damage went unnoticed during flight because crews experienced no handling abnormalities, while maintenance teams later spotted the puncture during post-flight checks. Airlines routinely perform inspections that can uncover problems that are not apparent from cockpit indications or crew observations.
Colombian authorities, including the Civil Aviation Authority, opened an investigation, with preliminary findings indicating the plane was struck by gunfire during landing approach at Medellín’s airport in Rio Negro on Sunday evening, February 22, 2026, the draft account said.
Investigators focused on criminal activity and said they were concentrating on a criminal group, but they have not named suspects or confirmed further details. The draft account did not describe a motive.
The right aileron plays a central role in roll control, helping pilots keep the aircraft balanced and stable in turns and in crosswinds. Because it is a primary flight control surface, any puncture raises questions about potential hidden damage beyond the visible hole, including to internal structure and nearby systems.
Sources in the draft account described the damage pattern as consistent with a high-powered rifle shot, pointing to a suspected origin from nearby green space north of the runway. The same account placed the aircraft below 1,000 feet on final approach, a phase of flight where airplanes operate at lower altitude and reduced margins, and where any strike demands careful follow-up even when the flight appears normal.
American Airlines’ operational response centered on keeping passengers and crew safe while ensuring the airplane did not return to normal service until maintenance teams completed a full set of inspections and repairs. The airline’s sequence included immediate removal from service after discovery, temporary patching in Miami as a protective measure before moving the jet, and repositioning to DFW for work at its maintenance hub.
The draft account described the Miami patching as temporary structural patching applied before the aircraft moved onward for repair. The airline did not describe that step as a substitute for the planned work in Dallas-Fort Worth, and the aircraft remained out of service.
As of February 24, 2026, the plane remained grounded at DFW, undergoing comprehensive checks for hidden structural, hydraulic, electrical, or sensor damage, the draft account said. Those inspections aim to rule out effects that may not show up in a simple visual review of a puncture, including damage to internal components and knock-on impacts to systems routed through the wing area.
The incident added urgency because the aircraft involved was a Boeing 737 MAX 8, a model that airlines maintain under tightly controlled procedures, with detailed documentation of repairs and return-to-service checks. American Airlines did not report any in-flight warning indications tied to the puncture, and pilots reported no in-flight issues.
Colombian authorities and civil aviation officials coordinated on the investigation around Medellín’s airport in Rio Negro, the draft account said. Such inquiries typically involve scene work, coordination with airport security and perimeter resources, and evidence collection designed to determine where and when the strike occurred.
Even with preliminary indicators pointing toward gunfire during approach, investigators did not confirm when the projectile hit the aircraft beyond that preliminary assessment, and they did not confirm a firing point. The draft account described the theory as preliminary and framed the suspected origin as consistent with a shot from an area of green space north of the runway.
The absence of reported injuries and the lack of reported handling issues did not reduce the seriousness of the event for aviation officials and airline maintenance teams, who treat any suspected firearm-related strike near approach paths as a critical safety matter. Approach and landing are phases where aircraft fly low over wider areas, sometimes near populated zones, and where investigators place special emphasis on preventing repeat incidents.
The case also revived attention to prior gunfire-related incidents affecting U.S. airline aircraft in Haiti in 2024 amid gang violence, which prompted FAA halts and service suspensions, the draft account noted. The draft did not provide additional detail on the Haiti episodes beyond that high-level outcome.
Medellín’s profile added another layer of attention, given its role as a tourism destination alongside continuing security concerns. The draft account described the city as once notorious for drug-related crime in the 1990s, while also noting a tourism surge.
The investigation in Colombia continued as American Airlines maintained the aircraft in a grounded status in Texas. The draft account did not describe any changes to airport operations in Rio Negro or any new security measures announced in response to the incident.
American Airlines’ statement emphasized coordination with authorities and the decision to remove the aircraft from service for inspection and repair. The airline did not provide additional technical detail beyond describing “a puncture to the exterior of one of our aircraft” identified after a routine inspection.
The draft account’s sequence placed the initial discovery in Medellín during the overnight stop and the confirmation during routine inspection after the Miami arrival on February 23, 2026 at approximately 10:24 a.m., underscoring how maintenance checkpoints can catch damage not evident during the flight itself.
Investigators in Colombia continued to assess what happened on the approach into José María Córdova International Airport, and they continued to focus on criminal activity, without naming suspects. No further updates on suspects or conclusions were available as of February 24, 2026, the draft account said.
At DFW, the aircraft’s inspection program included checks intended to detect hidden structural issues and potential impacts to hydraulic, electrical, or sensor systems, the draft account said. The plane remained grounded as that work proceeded, leaving the timeline for repairs and any investigative findings dependent on maintenance results and ongoing coordination with authorities.
American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 Hit by Gunfire Near José María Córdova
An American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 was struck by gunfire while landing in Medellín, Colombia. Maintenance crews discovered a puncture in the right aileron during a routine inspection. The aircraft was temporarily patched and flown to Dallas-Fort Worth for detailed repairs. Colombian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the incident, which occurred during a low-altitude approach over green space north of the runway.
