A bullet hole discovered on an American Airlines flight has raised concerns about potential threats to aviation safety in Colombia, where the incident occurred. Sources familiar with the situation confirmed a mysterious puncture found in the right wing of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft after its journey from Miami to Medellín.
The damaged plane was inspected by ground crew who reported a perforation that goes all the way through one side of an important flight control surface, known as the right-hand aileron. This critical component aids in generating roll for the aircraft. The puncture left behind a small round hole on one side and indicated damage at what appeared to be its exit point on the other.
While no injuries or issues with the plane’s operation were reported by American Airlines, sources suggest that the damage aligns with an apparent bullet strike. The Civil Aviation Authority of Colombia is now investigating this incident as part of their routine checks and safety protocols.
This finding comes amid previous incidents in Haiti where three airlines—Spirit, JetBlue, and American—all experienced gunshots to their aircraft while taking off or landing at Toussaint Louverture International Airport due to heightened gang violence. In those cases, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily halted air traffic and major airlines suspended service.
Despite this recent incident, American Airlines remains committed to flying safety protocols and has ensured that temporary repairs were completed promptly. The aircraft returned for a flight back to Miami on Monday morning before spending about 12 hours in Florida before resuming its route to Dallas without further flights since then.
José Diaz made significant contributions to the reporting of this developing story.