A routine arrival turned into a serious mystery at Miami International Airport this week when maintenance crews found puncture marks on the right aileron of an American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 that had just flown in from Colombia. The marks have been described as bullet holes. The jet had completed a roundtrip between Miami and Medellín and landed without incident, and there are no reports of injuries. Airline technicians and investigators say a formal inspection is under way to pin down where the damage occurred.
What maintenance crews found
After passengers deplaned in Miami on Monday, maintenance staff spotted the damage during a routine post-flight check, flagging punctures in the control surface that helps the aircraft roll. The airplane has been identified in reporting as a Boeing 737-8 MAX registered N342SX, which was immediately removed from service for further work, according to AirLive.
Flight and aircraft details
Flight logs show the jet operated as AA923 from Miami to Medellín on Sunday and returned as AA924 on Monday morning, touching down in Miami that same morning. Flightradar24’s aircraft history for registration N342SX confirms those rotations and the aircraft’s recent movements. Passengers on the return leg were not reported to have been harmed, according to flight records from Flightradar24.
Immediate response and maintenance
Colombian coverage and industry outlets report that technicians carried out temporary structural patching at Miami International Airport before the jet was ferried to American’s heavy-maintenance base at Dallas/Fort Worth for a more extensive inspection. Authorities in both countries were notified, and investigators are working to determine whether the holes appeared while the aircraft was on the ground in Medellín or during its arrival or departure phases. Those early details were compiled in Colombian reporting by El Universal.
Investigation and safety questions
Industry reports note that the aircraft reportedly cruised near FL360 for much of the roughly three-hour crossing, a detail that has aviation watchers asking how apparent projectile punctures could go unnoticed until after landing. AirLive highlighted that flight profile, and the incident echoes earlier cases that led to safety actions after aircraft were struck on approach. One 2024 series of strikes, involving flights to Haiti, was covered by Business Insider. In this case, investigators will determine whether wiring, hydraulics, or other systems beneath the aileron suffered any damage.
The aircraft remains grounded while specialists carry out a detailed assessment and aviation officials continue their probe. The discovery has drawn coverage from outlets in both the United States and Colombia, including the New York Post, and more information is expected as inspections move forward.
