Overview

• On July 18, SkyWest flight 3788, an Embraer 175 operating for Delta from Minneapolis, executed an abrupt right turn and climbed to avoid a B-52 bomber on approach to Minot International Airport.
• The US Air Force confirmed the bomber was conducting a planned North Dakota State Fair flyover and that the regional jet pilot received no advance notice of its presence.
• Cockpit audio and passenger videos captured the pilot apologizing for the “aggressive maneuver” and passengers applauding after the aircraft landed safely.
• The Federal Aviation Administration, SkyWest Airlines and the US Air Force have each opened formal investigations into communication failures and airspace management at the civilian-military facility.
• The near-miss underscores ongoing safety challenges at remote airports that rely on visual control rather than radar to separate civilian and military flights.