An American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 landed safely in Miami this week with what investigators believe were bullet holes in part of its wing after a trip to Colombia.
After the Boeing touched down in Miami at about 10:24 a.m. on Feb. 23 and passengers had deplaned, maintenance crews spotted puncture marks on the right aileron, a key control surface that helps manage the airplane’s roll and lateral stability.
American Airlines said in a statement to NTD News on Feb. 24 that “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,” the airline said, adding, “We will work closely with all relevant authorities to investigate this incident.” The carrier said there were no injuries and no flight-related issues reported.
Technicians in Miami performed temporary structural patching on the affected wing area before the plane was ferried without passengers overnight on Feb. 23 to the airline’s maintenance hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The jet remains grounded there while engineers inspect for possible hidden damage to hydraulics or wiring from the apparent bullet strike.
Investigators have not yet determined where or when the suspected gunfire occurred, but the discovery has heightened concern about security risks either on the ground in Medellín or during low-altitude phases of flight.
One flight attendant suffered minor injuries, the plane was taken out of service, and Spirit suspended flights to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien. Other carriers, including American Airlines and JetBlue, canceled Haiti flights during that time, while Haiti’s main airport halted operations and U.S. officials urged Americans to avoid travel there because of gang violence.
American has not announced any schedule changes related to flights between Florida and Colombia, but the airline said safety and coordination with authorities will guide its response as the probe continues.
