Delta regional pilot makes 'aggressive maneuver' to avoid B-52 collision

ABC News ^ | July 20, 2025 | Sam Sweeney

[crusty old prospector]

A Delta regional jet on approach to Minot, North Dakota, made an "aggressive maneuver" to avoid a mid-air collision with a B-52 bomber, according to the Delta pilot.

The incident took place on July 18, according to the airline. The flight, operated by SkyWest, had departed from Minneapolis. Once on the ground, the pilot apologized to passengers for the abrupt move and explained the situation.

"Given his speed ... I don't know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us, I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it," the pilot said, according to a recording of the conversation. "So sorry about the aggressive maneuver, it caught me by surprise, this is not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give us a heads up, because the Air Force base does have radar ... long story short, it was not fun, but I do apologize for it and thank you for understanding. Not a not a fun day at work."

It's unclear how close the two jets came from each other or if a cockpit alarm was activated to warn the pilots of a potential collision. Minot is home to an Air Force base with B-52 bombers.

[Paladin2]

"...approximately 6 miles northwest of RAP...." Could happen to anybody....

[crusty old prospector]

The sun was in his eyes. He had a hang nail.

[stanne]

It could have been his fault. Could have been the tower. Could have been the civilian tower. Could have been the delta pilots error

Why make assumption? Because the delta pilot is the one talking? What if he’s wrong?

[ExSES]

Or maybe just the data plate???

[AlaskaErik]

I’m waiting to see the VASAviation and blancolirio videos on YT so I can get the real story.

[Negan]

In before the usual DEI comments.

Oopsie. Too late.

[crusty old prospector]

C’mon, man. It’s DIE.

[gunnut]

After the whole army helicopter at national airport, I really would question that.

[No name given]

Perhaps.

[Texas resident]

“Jake: “No, I didn’t. Honest... I ran out of gas. I... I had a flat tire. I didn’t have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locus. It wasn’t my fault. I swear to god!”

[gundog]

I saw ‘em in ‘82. They were avoiding collisions with oranges, shoes...whatever the crowd threw at ‘em.

[Mark17]

I was an air traffic controller for 20 years. There isn’t enough information to give a definitive opinion about this. Was the commercial pilot on an ILS approach or a visual approach, which is still an IFR approach? Did the BUFF pilot think he was on approach to Minot AFB, when he was actually on approach to Minot International airport? That HAS happened before. Was the BUFF pilot flyng VFR?
With a C-5 on 10 mile final, it was not easy to see. If a smaller aircraft, like a DC-9, was 10 miles on final, it was almost impossible to see. That is why we had the BRITE radar scope, hanging from the ceiling. The BRITE could see them coming, 20 miles out. All we could do, was give stage 1 service to VFR aircraft. If the controller has a pattern full of aircraft, giving traffic advisories, is about his last priority. Separating aircraft is his first priority, and mixng IFR and VFR traffic is not so easy, and traffic advisories, are strictly at the discretion of the controller, and not subject to question by the pilot. The CATCO, was always happy to show them the paragraph in the FAA manual that we used.
Wthiout more information, it’s hard to figure out exactly what happened here.

[linMcHlp]

bttt

[Yo-Yo]

“Survival kit contents check. In them you’ll find:

- One forty-five caliber automatic
- Two boxes of ammunition
- Four days’ concentrated emergency rations
- One drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills
- One miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible
- One hundred dollars in rubles
- One hundred dollars in gold
- Nine packs of chewing gum
- One issue of prophylactics
- Three lipsticks
- Three pair of nylon stockings.

Shoot, a fella’ could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.”

[WhoisAlanGreenspan?]

Something I read at a different source had that B-52 doing a flyover at a state fair. Were that to be the case it's hard to imagine the Delta plane not being warned ahead of time if such an unwieldy craft as a B-52 at low altitude and speed was in the area. It sounds like the commercial air strip operates VFR but the nearby (13 miles?) military strip has radar and a control tower.

Maybe someone was enjoying the flybye so much they forgot about or didn't notice the Delta plane.

I grew up around Detroit Metro and Willow Run airports, one is commercial primarily passenger the other is almost exclusively cargo and airshows. The air traffic between the two is noticeably segregated and they are probably about 13 miles apart, or less.

[Jarvis Law 2.0]

Thank you for your analysis based on your professional experience. Much appreciated. I agree that we don’t have enough information at this time. That the pilot reports having to make a quick aggressive move that the passengers would have noticed, I do think this was a “close call.” JUst hate to see another unfinished story go down the Eternal Rabbit Hole of No Confidence in things I used to take for granted.