A SkyWest pilot demonstrated exceptional airmanship last Friday when he performed what passengers described as an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid a potential mid-air collision with an Air Force B-52 bomber near Minot, North Dakota. The incident occurred as SkyWest flight 3788, operating as a Delta Connection from Minneapolis with 76 passengers and four crew members aboard, was making its final approach to Minot International Airport.
Passengers reported a sudden, sharp turn that sent the Embraer E175 regional jet banking steeply to the right, with one passenger telling CBS News she “could look out the window and see straight at the grass instead of seeing the horizon.” The quick-thinking pilot later explained to relieved passengers that he spotted the military aircraft on what appeared to be a converging course and made the split-second decision to turn behind it. This act prevented what could have been a catastrophic collision between the commercial airliner and the massive bomber.
The near-miss has sparked an immediate investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and raised serious questions about communication protocols between military operations and civilian air traffic control.
The B-52 Bomber’s Proximity To The SkyWest Flight Path
The B-52 bomber, stationed at nearby Minot Air Force Base, was conducting a pre-approved flyover of the North Dakota State Fair as part of a special event recognizing the city of Minot as a “Great American Defense Community.” According to USA Today, Air Force officials confirmed that the flyover was planned in advance and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, including coordination with local air traffic control personnel.
In a statement captured on video by a passenger, the SkyWest pilot explained the harrowing situation with remarkable composure: “For those of you on the right-hand side, you probably saw the airplane kinda sorta coming at us. Nobody told us about it and so we continued.” He further clarified that Minot Airport’s tower lacks radar capabilities, forcing controllers to rely entirely on visual identification of aircraft.
Monica Green, the passenger who recorded the pilot’s announcement and was traveling home to Dallas, compared the sudden maneuver to “going around a sharp turn on a roller coaster.” The experience left her shaken, causing anxiety during her return flight. “I was sweating. I was shaking. I was not excited to get on, and it really hit me once we started taking off,” Green told CBS News.
