Air Force Says Air Traffic Controllers Failed to Warn B-52 Bomber About Nearby Delta Plane

Air traffic controllers at Minot International Airport in North Dakota failed to inform the crew of a U.S. Air Force bomber that a commercial airliner was flying in the same area, the Air Force said July 22, an incident that forced the pilot of a Delta regional flight to maneuver to avoid a potential mid-air collision.

The incident, which is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), happened on July 18 and involved a Delta Connection flight operated by SkyWest Airlines and an Air Force B-52 bomber.

In video footage taken by a passenger on the commercial flight, the pilot can be heard informing passengers that he’d made a hard bank after spotting the bomber in the flight path that Minot International air traffic control had directed him to take for landing.

“For those of you on the right-hand side, you probably saw the airplane, kind of coming at us. Nobody told us about it,” the pilot says. “I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it. So, sorry about the aggressive maneuver. It caught me by surprise.”

The pilot adds that this was “not normal at all,” and “I don’t know why they didn’t give us a heads up.”

Delta Flight 3788 was approaching Minot after departing from Minneapolis, according to the FAA. SkyWest Airlines confirmed in a statement to media outlets that 76 passengers and four crew members were onboard Delta Flight 3788 at the time of the incident.

In the footage, the SkyWest pilot can be heard telling passengers over the intercom after landing that he had been forced to make an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid a fast-moving aircraft that appeared unexpectedly in his flight path.

The pilot said the decision was made out of caution due to the speed at which the other aircraft was moving.

According to a statement from Minot Air Force Base, the B-52 bomber had been conducting a flyover at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds at about 7:50 p.m. for a special event “recognizing the city of Minot as a ‘Great American Defense Community,’ an honor that highlights the city’s strong support for the military.”

The flyover was approved by the FAA.

“This included the FAA’s local Flight Standards District Office, Minot International Airport air traffic control personnel, and Minot Approach Control (RAPCON),” Minot Air Force Base stated.

At about 7:10 p.m., before the flyover, the B-52 crew contacted Minot Approach Control to prepare, the statement said. All necessary checklists were completed, and the crew remained in contact with Minot Approach as it flew to its holding point 12 miles east of the fairgrounds.

While holding, the B-52 crew “communicated the flyover plan to both RAPCON and Minot International Airport’s air traffic control tower,” according to the statement. “At 7:40 p.m., the B-52 crew advised Minot Approach they were departing the holding point for the fairgrounds.”

At 7:43 p.m., Minot Approach directed the crew of the bomber to contact Minot International Airport’s air traffic control, at which point the tower provided the crew with instructions to continue 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) westbound after the flyover.

“The tower did not advise of the inbound commercial aircraft,” the statement read. “The B-52 crossed the fairgrounds show center at 7:50 p.m. and proceeded west as directed to clear Minot International Tower’s airspace before returning to Minot AFB.”

SkyWest Airlines said the crew conducted a go-around after being cleared for approach and spotting another aircraft in its path.

The airline is currently investigating the incident.

The Epoch Times has contacted spokespersons for SkyWest Airlines and Minot International Airport for further comment.