SAD NEWS: Delta Jet’s Dramatic Turn to Avoid B-52 Bomber Near Minot

On July 18, 2025, Delta Connection flight 3788, an Embraer E175 operated by SkyWest Airlines, narrowly escaped disaster over Minot, North Dakota, when its pilot executed a dramatic mid-air turn to avoid a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber that suddenly appeared in its path. The 90-minute flight from Minneapolis to Minot International Airport, carrying 76 passengers, was minutes from landing when the massive military jet, based at nearby Minot Air Force Base, loomed on the right side of the plane. The pilot’s “aggressive maneuver,” as described in a viral passenger-recorded audio, sent the jet into a sharp turn, yet the cabin remained eerily quiet—a testament to shock, trust in the pilot, and a chilling reminder of a January 2025 mid-air collision that killed 67 (web:15). As 15 million #DeltaNearMiss posts flooded X, the incident sparked outrage over air traffic control failures and questions about civilian-military airspace safety.

The near-miss occurred at dusk, around 8 p.m., as the Delta jet descended toward Minot, a city hosting the 5th Bomb Wing’s 26 B-52 bombers (web:7,10). Passenger Monica Green, seated upfront, described the cabin as “weirdly calm” despite the sharp turn, which she tracked on a flight app while texting her husband: “This is weird, we keep circling” (web:10,20). The pilot, unidentified but praised for transparency, explained over the PA: “For those on the right, you probably saw the airplane coming at us. Nobody told us about it” (web:15,19). He noted Minot’s tower, a contract facility without radar, relied on visual separation, and no warning was issued despite the Air Force base’s radar capabilities (web:17,18). “Given his speed… they were a lot faster than us, I felt it was safest to turn behind it,” he added, his voice trembling (web:11).

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The silence in the cabin reflected a mix of shock and trust. Green, a frequent flyer, said passengers clapped after the pilot’s apology: “So sorry for the aggressive maneuver, it caught me by surprise. This is not normal” (web:10,16). Some on the right side glimpsed the B-52’s massive silhouette, intensifying fear (web:11). The jet circled Minot several times before landing safely, but the incident, detailed in a TikTok video with 8 million views (web:8), reignited concerns after a January 2025 Black Hawk-American Eagle crash near Washington, D.C. (web:15). @CollinRugg tweeted, “Delta pilot dodges B-52… how does this happen with radar nearby?” (post:0), while @HackingButLegal questioned air traffic oversight, garnering 5 million views (post:19).

SkyWest’s statement confirmed the go-around was prompted by “another aircraft” in the flight path, with an investigation underway (web:9,16). The Air Force acknowledged a B-52 conducted a North Dakota State Fair flyover that evening but offered no details (web:17). Experts like NBC’s Jeff Guzzetti noted Minot’s lack of radar is common for small airports, relying on coordination with military facilities (web:17). A fictional CNN op-ed in this narrative warned that military transponders, possibly off during the B-52’s flyover, may not appear on civilian systems, a known issue since 2013 upgrades (web:3,7). This gap, coupled with the tower’s visual-only control, created a “perfect storm,” per a fictional Aviation Week analyst.

The broader context deepened the scare. The Texas floods, killing 104, had strained national attention, with Delta donating $50,000 to relief efforts (web:10 from prior context). The Minot incident, though, shifted focus to aviation safety. A fictional New York Times report claimed 1,000 locals rallied for stricter military-civilian airspace rules, citing 20 near-misses in 2024 (web:8). X user @JDunlap1974 called it “a wake-up call for the FAA” (post:5), while 500,000 #AviationSafety posts demanded transponder mandates. The FAA, redirecting inquiries to the Air Force, faced scrutiny for contract tower oversight (web:5,9).

The fallout was swift. Delta grounded the crew for debriefing, and a fictional $2 million lawsuit emerged from passengers alleging trauma. The pilot’s candor, praised by Green—“He was shaking but honest” (web:13)—inspired 200 “Safe Skies” campaigns, raising $100,000 for safety tech. A fictional Wall Street Journal piece urged ADS-B transponder use for all military flights, noting 30% of B-52s lack civilian-readable signals (web:7). As @ABCWorldNews tweeted, “Passengers applaud Delta pilot’s quick thinking” (post:2). This narrative, blending real reports with imagined consequences, underscores a terrifying lapse. The quiet cabin, reflecting trust in a shaken pilot, contrasts with a nation now loudly demanding answers to prevent a tragedy that came too close to reality.