An American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated a scheduled passenger flight after mechanics patched apparent bullet damage discovered on one of its control surfaces in Colombia.
Maintenance crews identified the puncture during a routine inspection in Medellín after the aircraft arrived from Miami on February 23, 2026. According to documents cited by CBS News, mechanics found both an entry and exit hole on an aileron near the trailing edge of one wing.
Technicians patched the hole in Medellín, and the aircraft departed the following morning on its scheduled return flight to Miami with passengers on board.
After the jet arrived in Miami, American Airlines removed it from service and ferried it to Dallas for permanent repairs.
American Airlines confirmed the damage in a statement.
“Following a routine inspection, our teams identified a puncture to the exterior of one of our aircraft in Medellín, Colombia,” the airline said. “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 airline did not specify when or where the aircraft may have sustained the damage. It remains unclear whether the jet took gunfire while on the ground or in flight.
The aircraft involved is a Boeing 737 MAX 8, one of the most widely used narrowbody aircraft in the American Airlines fleet. The MAX 8 features conventional ailerons as part of its flight control system, and airlines routinely inspect these surfaces during scheduled maintenance checks and turnaround procedures.
Field repairs in such cases typically involve structural patching that restores the integrity of the affected surface until a maintenance base can complete more comprehensive work.
American Airlines said it will continue working with relevant authorities as the investigation proceeds.
