Delta Pilot Executes ‘Aggressive Maneuver’ to Evade B-52 Bomber, Averts Midair Disaster Over North Dakota

NORTH DAKOTA — A Delta-operated flight narrowly avoided disaster Saturday night after a quick-thinking commercial pilot executed an “aggressive” evasive maneuver to avoid colliding midair with a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber.

The Embraer E175 jet, operated by SkyWest Airlines under the Delta Connection brand, was en route from Minneapolis–St. Paul to Minot International Airport when it encountered the massive B-52 Stratofortress near Minot Air Force Base. The incident occurred during the 90-minute flight and was visible to both crew members and passengers sitting on the jet’s right side, according to reports from Aviation A2Z.

Sources say the two aircraft came perilously close before the E175 pilot took rapid evasive action, avoiding what could have been a catastrophic collision. The exact proximity between the two aircraft has not been disclosed, but aviation experts note that any unscheduled encounter with a military bomber at high speeds poses a significant risk to commercial airliners.

There were no injuries reported on board, but passengers described the sudden movement as intense and frightening. “It felt like the plane dipped sharply—everyone was stunned,” one passenger told local media.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Air Force are both investigating the incident, which has raised questions about flight coordination and military-civilian airspace management over North Dakota.

As of now, neither the Air Force nor SkyWest Airlines has released an official statement on the matter.