Summary:
- A SkyWest-operated Delta Connection flight almost collided mid-air with a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber near Minot International Airport on July 18, 2025.
- The near-miss occurred in daylight as SkyWest Flight 3788 was descending from Minneapolis and had to take evasive action due to the unexpected presence of the B-52.
- Passengers described a sudden maneuver and a direct announcement from the pilot about the unexpected air conflict.
- SkyWest Airlines confirmed safe landing and launched an internal safety investigation.
- The U.S. Air Force said the bomber was performing a pre-planned flyover for the North Dakota State Fair and is reviewing event coordination.
- Scrutiny is now on Minot International’s traffic control methods and coordination with nearby Minot Air Force Base as investigations continue.
A SkyWest-operated Delta Connection flight narrowly avoided a mid-air collision with a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber while approaching Minot International Airport in North Dakota on July 18, 2025. The incident, which occurred in clear daylight conditions, has prompted separate investigations by the airline and the military, as questions mount over procedural safeguards near joint-use airspace.
SkyWest Flight 3788, an Embraer E175 regional jet, was descending toward Minot after a routine trip from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport when its pilots initiated a sudden evasive maneuver. According to passenger accounts and cockpit audio, the crew sharply deviated from their approach after sighting a B-52 bomber approaching from an intersecting trajectory.
“It was pretty jarring—we banked hard, and I could see grass out the side window. It felt like the whole plane tilted on its side,” said Monica Green, a passenger seated near the wing. She added that the pilot, once the jet was stabilized, addressed the cabin candidly. “He got on the intercom and said this was ‘not a fun day at work,’ and that we were forced to act fast because of a conflict that wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Flight crew later explained to passengers that air traffic control had not warned them of the bomber’s presence, stating that the B-52 appeared unexpectedly in their flight path. The proximity and high speed of the military aircraft left little time to react. Audio recordings circulating online capture the pilot calmly apologizing to those onboard, telling them the incident wasn’t “normal at all.”
SkyWest Airlines confirmed that the aircraft landed safely at Minot and said it was conducting an internal investigation. “Safety is always our top priority. We’re working with all relevant authorities to understand what happened,” a spokesperson noted in a written statement.
The U.S. Air Force also acknowledged the event, confirming that the B-52 was affiliated with Minot Air Force Base and had been performing a scheduled flyover as part of the North Dakota State Fair. The precise details of the bomber’s flight path have not been disclosed. “We are reviewing the circumstances to determine how coordination misaligned,” an Air Force representative said.
Air traffic coordination at Minot International has come under scrutiny, with reports suggesting that control tower personnel at the civilian airport rely primarily on visual observation rather than radar to manage local airspace. Despite the proximity of Minot Air Force Base, which maintains extensive radar capabilities, there appears to be a disconnect between military and civilian traffic controllers in the region.
No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew aboard Flight 3788, and the aircraft did not sustain any damage. Nonetheless, the situation has raised concerns about deconfliction protocols in shared airspace zones, especially near military installations handling high-speed aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration has not issued a public statement on the matter, and it remains unclear whether regulatory or procedural changes will follow. In the meantime, both SkyWest and the U.S. Air Force are continuing their inquiries, while flyers and observers alike await answers on how such a close call occurred in controlled airspace.
Background:
Here is how this event developed over time:
- July 18, 2025 (8:00 PM local time): SkyWest Flight 3788, operating as Delta Connection from Minneapolis to Minot, was on final approach to Minot International Airport when the pilot observed a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber converging on the jet’s flight path.
- July 18, 2025: To avoid a mid-air collision, the pilot executed an emergency evasive maneuver, later calling it an “aggressive” turn due to the bomber’s high speed and unexpected location.
- July 18, 2025: The air traffic control tower at Minot, which lacks radar coverage for final approaches, had cleared the commercial flight to land without informing the pilot of the military aircraft.
- July 18, 2025: Upon landing safely, the pilot informed passengers that the maneuver was due to an unannounced B-52 flyover and apologized for the abrupt action.
- July 19, 2025: SkyWest Airlines confirmed the incident, stated the aircraft landed without damage, and launched an internal review.
- July 19, 2025: The U.S. Air Force acknowledged a scheduled B-52 flyover for the North Dakota State Fair was in progress at the time but released no further operational details.
- July 20, 2025: Aviation analysts and officials raised concerns over the lack of radar coordination between Minot International Airport and nearby Minot Air Force Base, which does have radar capabilities.