An American Airlines plane was found with a suspected bullet hole in its wing after landing in Colombia following a flight from Florida over the weekend.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 landed safely in Medellín, Colombia, on Sunday night before crews discovered a hole that reportedly went all the way through the right wing.
The aircraft had just completed Flight 923 from Miami to Medellín on Sunday night when ground staff spotted a puncture running straight through the plane’s right‑hand aileron, according to documents reviewed by CBS News.
The damage included a small, round entry hole on one side of the aileron and a corresponding exit point on the other – consistent with a possible bullet strike, sources familiar with the incident told CBS.
Ailerons are hinged control surfaces on the outer edges of each wing that help the plane roll or bank during flight. By tilting in opposite directions, the two ailerons create uneven lift, allowing the aircraft to turn.
The apparent strike was first flagged publicly by aviation blogger @xJonNYC on X. “Wow. I’m told bullet holes were found on AA aircraft in Medellin, Colombia Monday morning,” he tweeted, following up with further information about the hole in the wing.
It remains unclear when or where the puncture occurred.
Despite the discovery, American Airlines said the jet experienced no issues during the flight and no injuries were reported. “Following a routine inspection, our teams identified a puncture to the exterior of one of our aircraft in Medellín, Colombia,” the airline told The Independent in a statement.
“The aircraft was immediately removed from service for further inspection and repair.
“We will work closely with all relevant authorities to investigate this incident,” the spokesperson added.
Temporary repairs were carried out overnight, and flight‑tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft returned to Miami on Monday morning before later flying to Dallas.
It has not operated any flights since.
It is not the first time that passenger aircraft have been impacted by gunfire. In 2024, a bullet hit a Southwest Airlines plane preparing for departure from Dallas Love Field Airport, hitting an area near the cockpit. Nobody was injured, and the plane was also temporarily removed from service.
