Delta Pilot Narrowly Escapes Midair Crash With US Air Force B-52 Bomber – Pilot, Passengers Reveal Ordeal

A commercial Delta E175 pilot narrowly averted a midair collision with a US Air Force B-52 bomber during a flight over North Dakota on Saturday night by performing a swift and aggressive evasive maneuver.

Delta E175 Jet Comes Dangerously Close To B-52 Bomber

The near-crash incident took place on a SkyWest Airlines Embraer E175 jet operating as Delta Connection which was traveling from Minneapolis-Saint Paul to Minot International Airport.

The regional jet came dangerously close to a B-52 Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base during thw 90-minute travel. Passengers who were  seated on the right side of the plane, as well as crew members, reportedly even saw the large bomber through the windowpanes.

According to reports the pilot executed an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid the hitting the incoming bomber.

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Delta Airplane Passengers Recounts Experience

Monica Green, a passenger on the flight, described her feelings to KFYR TV, saying, “I felt like I was gaslighting myself, like maybe I was being crazy, because no one else was reacting.”

Green recalled the sudden sharp turn, “we took a really hard turn, and that’s when the pilot got on the intercom and said, ‘sorry everybody, I’ll explain everything when we land safely.’”

She added, “the way he said it, it almost sounded like he was insinuating that landing safely might not be an option for a moment. We all just kind of looked at each other and stayed quiet.”

Green praised the pilot for his detailed explanation after the incident. “He was very casual, if you can be casual about something like that, but you could tell he was stressed. He was almost shaking, trying to find the right words, but he was nice and detailed. It felt good that they weren’t just going to brush it off.”

What Delta Pilot Said About The Incident

The public address system, air traffic controllers was instructed a change in course of the plane due to insufficient distance from a incoming aircraft on the approach path, according to the pilot’s account.

The pilot in his account also said that the crew did not receive any prior warning of approaching military aircraft in the area, which he described as unusual given Minot Air Force Base’s radar capabilities. When the crew spotted the B-52, the pilot understood the safest course was to maneuver behind the bomber to avoid any hit.

What Officials Said

Despite the frieghtining experience, the Embraer E175 landed safely at Minot International Airport while the inbound passengers were seen relieved and showered praise for the pilot for his strength and transparency during the potentially fatal situation.

Minot Air Force Base is home to the 5th Bomb Wing and the 91st Missile Wing, along with extensive US Air Force equipment, including 26 B-52 bombers.

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