The agency confirmed an investigation is underway, with details remaining preliminary and subject to change.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating an incident in which a Delta Connection jet operated by SkyWest Airlines made what the pilot described as an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid a midair collision with a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber near Minot, North Dakota.
The incident occurred on July 18, as SkyWest Flight 3788 was approaching Minot International Airport after departing from Minneapolis, the airline told ABC News. In a statement to The Epoch Times, the FAA confirmed it is “investigating the event involving SkyWest Airlines Flight 3788 at Minot International Airport,” adding that the information remains preliminary and subject to change.
According to a recording shared on social media, the SkyWest pilot informed passengers after landing that he made an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid a fast-moving aircraft that appeared unexpectedly in their flight path. The pilot said the decision was made out of caution and called the experience “not a fun day at work.”
“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 pilot can be heard telling passengers after landing. “So sorry about the aggressive maneuver, 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 … long story short, it was not fun, but I do apologize for it and thank you for understanding. Not a not a fun day at work.”
Minot is home to Minot Air Force Base, which hosts a fleet of B-52 bombers.
In a statement to ABC News, an Air Force spokesperson said: “We are aware of the recent reporting regarding commercial and Air Force aircraft operating in airspace around Minot International Airport. We are currently looking into the matter. We can confirm that a B-52 aircraft assigned to Minot AFB conducted a flyover of the North Dakota State Fair Friday evening.”
SkyWest confirmed in a statement to media outlets that the aircraft landed safely and said the crew conducted a go-around after being cleared for approach and spotting another aircraft in its path. The airline added that it is investigating the incident.
The Epoch Times has reached out to both the Air Force and SkyWest for additional comment.
The FAA’s investigation is ongoing. It remains unclear how close the two aircraft came or whether any automated collision warnings were activated.
