Passengers terrified as pilot maneuvers to avoid midair collision with B-52 bomber

A pilot is being lauded for his skill and quick thinking after a near-disaster in the air. The Embraer E175 jet was traveling from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Minot International Airport in North Dakota when it unexpectedly encountered a B-52 Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base.

The SkyWest Airlines pilot performed an aggressive series of dramatic midair turns to avoid colliding with the military aircraft, which came so close that it could be easily seen from the right side of the plane.

An eyewitness account

Passenger Monica Green told ABC News:

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"All of a sudden we just jerk really hard to the right — we just kept taking more turns and more turns, and he gets on the announcement and says, 'I'm sorry everybody, I'll explain everything once we've landed safely."

Green captured the aftermath on video:

The pilot speaks

The pilot apologized to the passengers afterward, saying:

"Given his speed ... I don't know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us. I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it. So sorry about the aggressive maneuver; it caught me by surprise. This is not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give us a heads up, because the Air Force base does have radar ... long story short, it was not fun, but I do apologize for it and thank you for understanding. Not a not a fun day at work."

The Air Force is investigating

The Air Force is investigating

An Air Force spokesman told ABC News:

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"We are aware of the recent reporting regarding commercial and Air Force aircraft operating in airspace around Minot International Airport. We are currently looking into the matter. We can confirm that a B-52 aircraft assigned to Minot AFB conducted a flyover of the North Dakota State Fair Friday evening."

Delta released a statement

Delta Airlines, which operates Sky West, released the following statement after the incident:

"SkyWest flight 3788, operating as Delta Connection from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Minot, North Dakota, landed safely in Minot after being cleared for approach by the tower but performed a go-around when another aircraft became visible in their flight path. We are investigating the incident."

Yahoo CreatorTamara GaneTamara Gane is based in Reno/Lake Tahoe. She takes dozens of trips a year and shares the best destinations, accommodations, experiences, and travel gear with her readers. FollowFollow