US EditionAir Force blames air traffic controllers for near miss involving B-52 bomber
MINOT, NORTH DAKOTA, JUL 22 – The Air Force attributes the near collision to private company controllers at a contract tower, which handle about half of U.S. civilian airport towers, officials said.
- On the evening of July 18 near Minot International Airport, a B-52H Stratofortress and SkyWest flight 3788 had a near-miss during a planned military flyover.
- The incident occurred because the Minot airport control tower did not inform the B-52 crew about the inbound SkyWest commercial flight, causing miscommunication.
- The B-52 crew coordinated their flyover with RAPCON and the control tower, while SkyWest flight 3788 executed a sharp evasive turn to prevent a collision and safely landed after conducting a go-around.
- The pilot informed passengers that those seated on the right side likely noticed the other plane approaching them and explained that the unusual maneuver was necessary because the situation was far from normal.
- Following the event, SkyWest, the military, and the FAA launched investigations, with the FAA working to assess proximity and Minot Air Force Base citing controller miscommunication as the cause.
38 Articles
38 Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
Close call between a B-52 bomber and a commercial jet over North Dakota puts focus on small airports
Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada
Air Force Says Air Traffic Controllers Failed to Warn B-52 Bomber About Nearby Delta Plane
Air traffic controllers at Minot International Airport in North Dakota failed to inform the crew of a U.S. Air Force bomber that a commercial airliner was flying in the same area, the Air Force said July 22, an incident that forced the pilot of a Delta regional flight to maneuver to avoid a potential mid-air collision. The incident, which is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), happened on July 18 and involved a Delta…
B-52 bomber wasn’t warned about approaching Delta plane before shocking near-miss in North Dakota: Air Force
Air traffic controllers in North Dakota failed to warn a US Air Force B-52 bomber about an approaching passenger jet, which was forced to take evasive action to avoid a midair collision Saturday night, the Air Force said in a statement.
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