A routine inspection uncovered what appeared to be bullet damage on an American Airlines jet after it arrived in South Florida from Colombia, according to reports. American Airlines Flight AA923 touched down at Miami International Airport on Monday when maintenance crews conducting a standard post-flight check identified puncture marks on the right aileron of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, AirLive reported. The aileron is a critical control surface that helps maintain the aircraft’s lateral stability.
Later Monday evening, the aircraft was ferried to the airline’s primary maintenance base at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, AirLive reported. The jet has since been grounded while engineers conduct a comprehensive inspection of the wing structure where the punctures were found, the outlet added.
Even with the damage, the aircraft completed its journey without incident. “There were no flight-related issues or injuries on board related to the incident,” American Airlines told The New York Post.
“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 company said in a statement.
According to AirLive, the jet had been at Colombia’s Jose Maria Cordova International Airport the day before and was in the process of completing a round-trip route when the apparent bullet holes were discovered in Miami.
It remains unknown how many passengers were on board at the time. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 model used for the flight is capable of carrying more than 160 travelers. FlightAware’s online tracking data indicated there were no significant delays or irregularities during the flight.
After landing at Miami International Airport, American Airlines technicians reportedly applied temporary patches to the affected section of the wing to secure the area.