MINOT, N.D. (BN24) — A SkyWest pilot operating a Delta Connection flight made a sharp, unexpected turn to avoid a potential midair collision with a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber while approaching Minot International Airport, prompting alarm onboard and sparking federal and military investigations.
The dramatic maneuver occurred Friday as Delta Flight 3788 was descending into Minot from Minneapolis-St. Paul. In a video recorded by a passenger and later posted to social media, the pilot can be heard explaining over the intercom that the evasive action was triggered after he visually spotted the B-52 bomber flying directly in the plane’s flight path.
“Sorry about the aggressive maneuver. It caught me by surprise,” the pilot says in the recording. “This is not normal at all. I don’t know why they didn’t give us a heads up.”
The Air Force confirmed that a B-52 from Minot Air Force Base was conducting a scheduled flyover of the North Dakota State Fair, held in the city that day. A spokesperson said the incident is under review.
While no injuries were reported, the near miss highlights ongoing concerns about communication and coordination between military and civilian aircraft — an issue already under scrutiny following a deadly midair collision near Washington, D.C., earlier this year that killed 67 people. That crash, involving an Army helicopter and a commercial jet, intensified efforts to improve military-civilian air traffic coordination, particularly when military aircraft operate without active transponders.
SkyWest, which operates regional flights for Delta and other major airlines, confirmed the aircraft performed a “go-around” maneuver — a standard safety procedure — after the bomber was spotted. The flight landed safely in Minot, a small airport located just 10 miles south of the Air Force base that houses 26 B-52 bombers and supports more than 5,400 personnel.
According to the pilot’s comments in the video, Minot’s airport lacks radar systems and directs flights visually. He said that upon being told to turn right on approach by the control tower, he immediately saw the bomber and took evasive action. “I don’t know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us,” he told passengers.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a brief statement on Monday confirming it is investigating the incident. Later in the day, it clarified that the air traffic services at Minot’s control tower are provided by a private contractor, not FAA staff.
Minot typically handles fewer than two dozen flights per day and, like many small U.S. airports, lacks its own radar capabilities. Instead, such airports rely on regional FAA radar facilities to guide flights in and out. The Minot incident underscores the potential risks when military activity intersects with civilian operations in such settings.
The pilot’s frustration was audible. “The Air Force base does have radar, and nobody said, ‘Hey, there’s a B-52 in the pattern,’” he told passengers after stabilizing the flight.
Applause followed his explanation, captured in the viral video. SkyWest has launched its own internal review.
