UPDATE: A Delta regional flight narrowly avoided a mid-air collision with a B-52 bomber over North Dakota on Friday. The incident, involving SkyWest flight 3788 from Minneapolis to Minot, has raised urgent questions about air traffic communication.
The Delta flight was approaching Minot when it encountered the US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress, prompting the pilot to execute an “aggressive maneuver” to avert disaster. “I don’t know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us,” the pilot told passengers, expressing surprise at the lack of prior notification from the Air Force.
“I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it,” he added, apologizing to passengers for the unexpected turn of events. The pilot described the experience as “not normal at all” and stated, “I don’t know why they didn’t give us a heads up, because the Air Force base does have radar.”
SkyWest Airlines confirmed that the flight was initially “cleared for approach by the tower” but had to perform a go-around due to the visibility of the B-52. Fortunately, the aircraft landed safely in Minot, and SkyWest is currently investigating the incident.
This incident comes on the heels of a serious aviation accident earlier this year when an American Airlines flight collided with a UH-60 Black Hawk, resulting in the tragic loss of all 67 people on board both aircraft.
Officials from the US Air Force Central Command, Minot Air Force Base, and the Federal Aviation Administration have yet to respond to inquiries regarding this latest near-miss.
As aviation safety continues to be a priority, this incident underscores the importance of effective communication between military and civilian air traffic. Authorities and aviation experts will be closely monitoring this situation to prevent future occurrences.
Stay tuned for updates as the investigation unfolds and more details are made available.
