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An American Airlines plane landed at Miami International Airport with bullet holes in one of its wings after completing a flight from Colombia, in an incident that is now under investigation by Colombian authorities and the airline itself.
Flight AA923, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with a capacity for over 160 passengers, conducted the route between Medellín and Miami over the weekend.
It was after landing in Florida, during a routine post-flight inspection, that the technical teams detected punctures in the right winglet of the aircraft, a crucial surface for the lateral stability of the plane.
The discovery after landing in Miami
According to a statement from American Airlines sent to U.S. media, their teams "identified a puncture" on the exterior of the aircraft during a routine inspection after its return to Miami.
“The aircraft was immediately withdrawn from service for subsequent inspection and repair. We will closely collaborate with all relevant authorities to investigate this incident,” the company stated.
Despite the impact marks, the flight proceeded normally and landed without any issues. The airline stated that there were no operational problems related to the incident and no injuries on board.
Data from air traffic tracking platforms like FlightAware and Flightradar24 show that there were no significant delays or route changes during the journey between Medellín and Miami.
Later, the plane flew from Miami to Dallas-Fort Worth, the main hub of American Airlines, where it was sent for a more thorough evaluation and complete repairs.
When did the impact occur?
The exact circumstances of the moment when the plane was shot at are not yet completely clear and have led to varying accounts in the initial reports.
According to Colombian authorities cited by , a preliminary investigation indicates that the impact likely occurred while the plane was landing in Medellín on Sunday.
Authorities indicated that they are focusing the investigations on a possible criminal group, although they emphasized that there are still no definitive conclusions.
For its part, NBC News, citing a source familiar with the case, confirmed that the hole was due to a bullet impact.
That outlet also reported that the damage was detected during a routine inspection while the aircraft was in Medellín.
However, the Civil Aeronautics of Colombia issued a statement claiming that it was not contacted by the airline or by U.S. authorities regarding the finding.
"The Civil Aviation Authority remains attentive to any official communication from international organizations or the airline that may clarify the facts and determine the origin of the reported issues," the entity stated in a press release issued on Tuesday.
Damage on a key surface of the wing
The impact was localized on the right winglet of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, a movable surface located on the wing that plays an essential role in controlling the aircraft's lateral balance.
Although American Airlines emphasized that the puncture did not cause problems for flying the aircraft, the fact that the damage occurred in a sensitive structural component has heightened attention on the case.
After landing in Miami, technicians from the company reportedly applied temporary patches to stabilize the affected surface before authorizing the transfer of the plane to Dallas-Fort Worth, where engineers are now conducting a thorough evaluation of the wings.
The plane remains on the ground while detailed inspections are carried out.
Ongoing research and open questions
Colombian authorities indicated that they are investigating the potential criminal origin of the incident, although no suspects or concrete details about how and where the shot was fired have been disclosed so far.
The case was initially publicized on social media by the aviation-focused account JonNYC, which quickly generated media attention.
Subsequently, U.S. media confirmed the discovery and expanded on the information with official statements.
It remains to be determined whether the impact occurred during the landing phase in Medellín, during ground operations, or at another point in the itinerary.
It is also pending to clarify why the Colombian aeronautical authority stated that it had not been officially contacted, which could raise questions about the notification protocols in this type of incident.
For now, American Airlines maintains that flight safety was not compromised and that it is working in coordination with the relevant authorities to clarify what occurred.
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