Imagine flying and suddenly a massive B-52 bomber appears out of nowhere! That’s exactly what happened to passengers on a commercial flight, and it nearly happened again to a private plane. The NTSB’s report on this shocking aviation incident reveals startling details about communication failures. What could have been done differently to prevent these terrifying close calls?

A recent preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has brought to light a deeply concerning aviation incident from July 19, where a B-52 bomber was involved in two separate near-collisions with other aircraft on the same day. This alarming sequence of events has ignited significant questions regarding air safety protocols and communication failures within controlled airspace.

The severity of the situation first became apparent when the pilot of a SkyWest Airlines regional flight, en route to Minot International Airport from Minneapolis, issued an apology to passengers for executing an “aggressive maneuver.” This sudden action was necessary to avert a direct collision with the military aircraft that appeared unexpectedly close to their commercial flight.

Passengers on SkyWest Airlines Flight 3788 experienced a harrowing moment when the B-52 bomber suddenly emerged in their flight path. The pilot, visibly surprised and concerned, communicated over the intercom, “Sorry about the aggressive maneuver… This is not normal at all. I don’t know why they didn’t give us a heads up.”

The NTSB’s initial findings underscore critical lapses in air traffic control. The U.S. Air Force confirmed that its B-52 crew received no prior warning about the proximity of other aircraft. Further compounding the issue, the report revealed that only a single air traffic controller was on duty at Minot Airport during the time of these near-misses, raising serious questions about staffing and oversight.

Shockingly, after narrowly avoiding the SkyWest commercial jet, the B-52 bomber subsequently had another close encounter, this time with a private Piper aircraft. This second near-collision within hours amplifies the gravity of the initial near miss incident and highlights a systemic problem that could have led to catastrophic outcomes.

Despite the B-52 performing a scheduled flyby over the North Dakota Fairgrounds, an event for which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had granted clearance for the military aircraft to enter the airspace, the lack of communication with the commercial flight was a critical oversight. This authorization did not translate into effective real-time warnings for other air traffic.

The SkyWest pilot further informed passengers that Minot Airport operates without radar, relying solely on visual observation from its tower for air traffic control management. Adding to the confusion, the controller at one point issued a command to the military plane, only to instruct the pilots to disregard it shortly thereafter, indicating potential disarray in guiding air traffic.

While the NTSB’s preliminary report does not definitively assign a cause for these dangerous near-misses, a comprehensive final report is anticipated approximately one year after the incident. This critical aviation incident eerily echoes a more tragic event eight months prior, when a military Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River, resulting in 67 fatalities, underscoring the vital importance of robust air safety protocols.