(MIAMI, FLORIDA) — American Airlines pulled a Boeing 737 MAX 8 from service after workers found bullet holes on the aircraft following its arrival at Miami International Airport from Colombia.
Maintenance crews discovered the damage on February 23, 2026, during a routine post-flight inspection of the plane, registration N342SX, after Flight AA924 landed from Medellín’s José María Córdova International Airport, also known as MDE.
“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,” an American Airlines spokesperson said.
No injuries were reported, and neither the crew nor passengers reported any in-flight issues during the flight into Miami, the airline said. The plane landed safely.
Inspectors found the damage on the aircraft’s right aileron, a moving control surface on the wing. American Airlines described the damage as a “puncture to the exterior,” while the incident drew attention because of its appearance as possible gunfire impact.
Workers detected the puncture after the aircraft arrived and passengers had deplaned, not during the flight itself. That timing left investigators and the airline focusing on what happened on the ground or near an airport environment, rather than an in-flight emergency.
The jet had operated the outbound leg from Miami to Medellín as Flight AA923 on February 22, 2026, then remained overnight on the ground in Colombia. It returned the next day on Flight AA924, with the damage noticed only after the arrival procedures and inspection at Miami.
Flight tracking details circulated online placed the aircraft’s February 23 return to Miami at roughly ~10:24-10:33 AM, with a 3-hour cruise at FL360 over the Caribbean. American Airlines reported no operational problems during the flight.
The right aileron plays a central role in roll control, helping an aircraft bank left or right in normal flight. Any exterior puncture in or near a control surface triggers a methodical maintenance response, because technicians need to confirm there is no hidden structural damage.
Maintenance teams also evaluate whether a puncture affects nearby systems that can run through a wing area, including hydraulics and wiring. American Airlines removed the aircraft from commercial service pending assessment, a standard step when the full extent of damage is not yet confirmed.
American Airlines carried out temporary patching in Miami before moving the plane to a maintenance base for a fuller inspection. The carrier then flew the aircraft on a non-commercial ferry flight to its maintenance hub at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) that evening, around ~8 PM on February 23, where it remained grounded.
A ferry flight typically moves an aircraft without carrying passengers on a scheduled service. In this case, American Airlines used the repositioning flight to place the jet at a facility equipped for deeper evaluation and repair work.
Colombian authorities opened an investigation, and preliminary findings indicated the plane may have been struck while landing in Medellín on Sunday (February 22). Officials focused on a criminal group, though nothing has been conclusive.
The inquiry also left unresolved, publicly, whether the puncture resulted from gunfire or another cause that could mimic a bullet-like strike. American Airlines characterized the damage as a “puncture,” while investigators worked toward forensic confirmation.
U.S. regulatory notification remained a question early in the inquiry. The FAA had not been notified as of February 24, according to the information reported.
The episode surfaced publicly after an aviation-focused social media account, @xJonNYC, posted about the incident and noted a possible right aileron impact. American Airlines’ statement emphasized cooperation with authorities, while the airline’s operational response kept the aircraft out of service for inspection.
No flight disruptions occurred, and American Airlines said the puncture did not affect operations. The aircraft’s safe arrival at Miami International Airport and the lack of reported onboard issues underscored the role of post-flight inspections in catching damage that may not be obvious in real time.
The incident echoed earlier gunfire-related disruptions in the region. American Airlines suspended flights to Haiti in December 2024 after multiple U.S. planes, including AA, Spirit and JetBlue, were hit by gunfire at Port-au-Prince, with damage often found after flights rather than during them.
American Airlines Plane Lands at Miami with Bullet Holes After Colombia Flight
An American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 was pulled from service in Miami after maintenance discovered a puncture on its wing, believed to be bullet holes. The damage was found after a flight from Medellín, Colombia. While no in-flight emergencies were reported, investigators are looking into whether the aircraft was targeted by criminal groups on the ground. The jet is undergoing deep forensic evaluation at DFW.
