A Delta Connection regional jet was forced into an aggressive midair maneuver on Friday, July 18, after coming dangerously close to a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber while approaching Minot International Airport, according to passenger accounts and airline statements.
The Embraer E175LR aircraft, operated by SkyWest on behalf of Delta Air Lines, had departed from Minneapolis and was on final approach to Minot when the incident occurred.
Passengers described the sudden jolt as unnerving. “All of a sudden we just jerk really hard to the right,” said Monica Green, a passenger on board. “The pilot got on the PA system and apologized, saying he’d explain more once we landed safely.”
Upon touchdown, the pilot informed passengers that the maneuver was necessary to avoid a midair collision with a fast-moving aircraft—later confirmed to be a B-52 bomber from nearby Minot Air Force Base. “It was not fun,” the pilot said, according to a cockpit recording. “I don’t know why we weren’t given a heads-up.”
Minot AFB is a strategic U.S. military installation housing B-52 bombers. The Air Force confirmed a B-52 conducted a flyover of the North Dakota State Fair on Friday evening but has not provided further details on the incident.
SkyWest confirmed that flight 3788 performed a go-around after spotting another aircraft in its flight path. “We are investigating the incident,” a spokesperson said.
The proximity of military and civilian operations around Minot raises questions about coordination and communication between air traffic controllers and military authorities. It remains unclear how close the two aircraft came or whether collision-avoidance alarms were activated.
The FAA and the U.S. Air Force are both investigating the near miss.
No injuries were reported.
