Near Miss at Minot International Airport: Pilot Faults Air Traffic Control for Not Warning of B-52 Bomber

A commercial flight from Minneapolis to Minot, North Dakota, had a close call with a B-52 bomber on Friday, prompting the pilot to make an abrupt maneuver to avoid collision. The pilot has since apologized to passengers, citing inadequate warning from Minot air traffic control, which operates visually and does not use radar. The incident highlights the complexities of air traffic management, particularly when military aircraft are involved.

Key Takeaways:

• A SkyWest flight from Minneapolis to Minot, North Dakota, had a near miss with a B-52 bomber on Friday due to inadequate warning from Minot air traffic control.
• The pilot of the commercial flight made an abrupt maneuver to avoid collision, apologizing to passengers over the intercom.
• Minot air traffic control operates visually and does not use radar, which may have contributed to the incident.
• The pilot stated that he was not informed about the B-52 bomber's approach, despite being given conflicting instructions by air traffic control.
• An Air Force spokesperson confirmed that the B-52 aircraft was conducting a flyover at the North Dakota State Fair, which is about 3 miles from the Minot Airport at the time of the incident.
• This incident is the latest in a series of close calls between commercial airliners and military aircraft, including a 2019 collision near Washington, D.C. that resulted in the deaths of 67 people.

Statistics:

• 3 miles: The distance between the North Dakota State Fair and Minot Airport at the time of the incident.
• 67: The number of fatalities in a 2019 collision between a commercial jet and a military helicopter near Washington, D.C.
• 1: The pilot of the SkyWest flight that had the near miss with the B-52 bomber on Friday.

Sources:

• [NPR] "Pilot Reports Near Miss With Air Force Bomber Over North Dakota" by Steve Inskeep and Sacha Pfeiffer.