Delta Air Lines Flight Diverts After B-52 Bomber Evasion Maneuver.

A Delta Air Lines flight was forced to make an "aggressive maneuver" to avoid a B-52 bomber on Friday. The Embraer E175 jet was flying from Minneapolis to Minot, N.D. when the pilot took evasive action. The flight then circled the airport several times before landing safely. The incident is being investigated, and a video of the pilot explaining the incident to passengers has gone viral.

Delta Air Lines flight DL3788, operated by SkyWest Airlines, narrowly avoided a mid-air collision with a B-52 bomber while en route from Minneapolis to Minot, North Dakota. The incident occurred on July 18, 2025. According to the Delta pilot, the maneuver was necessary to prevent a collision, as the B-52 was approaching at a high speed. The pilot, after landing, apologized to passengers for the abrupt maneuver and explained the situation.

The near-miss took place near Minot International Airport, home to a significant US Air Force presence, including 26 B-52 bombers. The pilot's evasive action involved turning behind the bomber, which was not expected by the passengers. The incident has sparked discussions about the coordination between civilian and military aviation authorities, especially in areas with significant military activity.

The Air Force has not released any information about the event, and SkyWest is currently investigating the incident. The lack of communication between civilian air traffic control and military operations has been highlighted as a potential issue, given that Minot AFB has radar capabilities that could have warned the civilian aircraft of the B-52's presence.

This incident is not the first time Delta pilots have had to avoid a mid-air collision with military aircraft. In March 2025, Delta Flight 2983 narrowly avoided a collision with a T-38 Talon near Washington National Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the March incident to determine the sequence of events and evaluate airspace coordination.

References:
[1] https://abcnews.go.com/US/delta-regional-pilot-takes-evasive-action-avoid-52/story?id=123908431
[2] https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/07/20/delta-pilots-avoid-mid-air-collision-with-b-52-bomber/