SkyWest Airlines pilot avoids mid-air collision with B-52 bomber over North Dakota

A Delta Connection Embraer ERJ-175LR, registered N604CZ and operated by SkyWest Airlines narrowly avoided a mid-air collision with a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber near Minot, North Dakota, United States, prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The incident occurred on Friday, July 19, as SkyWest Flight DL3788 was arriving from Minneapolis at Minot International Airport. Air traffic services at Minot are provided by a private contractor, not FAA-employed controllers. In a statement, the FAA confirmed: “The FAA is investigating the event involving SkyWest Airlines Flight DL3788 at Minot International Airport. Air traffic services were provided by the Minot Air Traffic Control Tower, which is operated by a private company. These controllers are not FAA employees.”

Passengers onboard captured the pilot’s in-flight announcement after he executed what he described as an “aggressive manoeuvre” to avoid the high-speed military aircraft.

“Given his speed … I don’t know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us, I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it,” the captain explained.
“So sorry about the aggressive manoeuvre. It caught me by surprise. This is not normal at all. I don’t know why they didn’t give us a heads up, because the Air Force base does have radar… Not a fun day at work.”