Commercial flight avoids mid-air crash with military plane
MINOT, N.D. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - A close call involving a commercial flight and an Air Force B-52 in air over North Dakota is now under investigation.
It happened Friday when a SkyWest flight, which was operating as a Delta connection between Minneapolis and Minot, North Dakota came dangerously close to the Air Force plane and the Delta pilot took evasive action.
One passenger, Monica Green, said she noticed the aircraft move suddenly, and after the aircraft landed safely, the pilot explained what happened.
"Honestly, like everyone was kind of really calm like I was gaslighting myself. 'Am I being crazy? No one else is really reacting.' Then, we took a really sudden turn and that's when the pilot kind of came over the intercom and said, 'Sorry everybody. We will explain everything when we land safely," Green shared.
"I don't think he realized the spacing wasn't going to work to turn right. I looked over and saw an airplane on the right-hand side," the pilot spoke. "I thought it was a small plane, like the ones you see at the airport doing touch-and-gos. He said, 'Turn right.' I said, 'There's a plane there.' He said, 'Turn left.' By the time we got clearance, I looked over and saw the airplane it was kind of coming on a collision course with us."
The FAA issued a statement saying "The FAA is investigating the event involving SkyWest Airlines Flight 3788 at Minot International Airport on Friday, July 18."
The U.S. Air Force also issued a statement saying, "We are aware of the recent reporting regarding commercial and air force aircraft operating in airspace around minot international airport. We are currently looking into the matter. We can confirm that a B-52 aircraft assigned to Minot AFB conducted a flyover of the North Dakota State Fair Friday evening."
