American Airlines 737 MAX 8 reaches Miami after Colombia trip with puncture damage resembling a bullet strike

Aircraft taken out of service after post-flight inspection

An American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 was removed from service after maintenance personnel identified puncture damage on a flight control surface following a trip involving Miami and Medellín, Colombia. The damage was described as consistent with an apparent bullet strike, with indications of an entry point and a likely exit point through the right-hand aileron.

The aircraft had operated from Miami to Medellín as Flight 923 on Sunday evening, February 22, 2026. After it landed in Colombia, ground crews reported a puncture that extended through the right-hand aileron. The aileron is a critical control surface on the trailing edge of the wing that helps manage roll.

Flight operations continued before the aircraft was routed to a maintenance hub

Temporary repairs were made, and the aircraft then operated back to Miami on Monday morning, February 23, 2026. No injuries were reported and there were no indications of flight-related issues during the trip.

After arriving in South Florida, the aircraft remained on the ground for roughly 12 hours before being flown to Dallas–Fort Worth, where American Airlines maintains major technical facilities. The plane has not returned to service since that repositioning flight.

Key unanswered question: when and where the damage occurred

Investigators have not publicly established where the puncture occurred—whether on the ground, during departure or arrival, or at another point in the aircraft’s recent operating cycle. That determination typically depends on a combination of airframe inspection, review of operational records, and coordination with airport and aviation security authorities.

Colombian civil aviation authorities opened an inquiry after being alerted to the incident. In parallel, airline maintenance teams are expected to assess whether the puncture affected internal components, verify structural integrity, and document repair requirements before any return to service.

Why the aileron matters

• The aileron is a primary flight control used to manage roll and lateral balance.
• Even when a flight lands safely, puncture damage can require extensive inspection to rule out hidden impacts to mechanisms, wiring, or structural elements.
• Airlines commonly ground aircraft until repairs and engineering sign-offs are completed.

The incident unfolded without reported injuries or in-flight irregularities, but prompted a removal from service and a multi-agency investigation into the source of the damage.

The episode underscores how routine inspections can uncover hazards not immediately apparent during operations, and how airlines and regulators rely on layered maintenance and investigative processes to determine cause and prevent recurrence.