The pilot of a SkyWest flight from Minnesota to North Dakota on Friday night issued an apology to passengers after executing what they described as an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid a potential midair collision with a military aircraft, as per audio of their intercom message recorded by a passenger source.
Upon safely landing in Minot just after 8 p.m. local time, the pilot, whose identity remains undisclosed in reports, addressed the passengers and explained that the air traffic control tower had failed to alert them about another aircraft on a converging course, necessitating their swift action, as indicated by data from FlightAware source.
“I apologize for the aggressive maneuver,” the pilot acknowledged in a video from the plane, as verified by NBC News source. “It took me by surprise. This is highly unusual. I am unsure why we were not forewarned.”
“In short, it was a harrowing experience, and I apologize for any distress caused. Thank you for your understanding. It was not a pleasant day at work,” the pilot added.
The airline confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation is underway.
“SkyWest flight 3788, operating as Delta Connection from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Minot, North Dakota, successfully landed in Minot after being cleared for approach by the tower but executed a go-around maneuver when another aircraft entered their flight path,” the airline informed JS. “We are actively investigating the incident.”
Meanwhile, the Air Force is also looking into the matter, confirming the presence of a B-52 aircraft in the vicinity on that Friday night.
In the message conveyed to passengers, the pilot expressed their belief that the aircraft they narrowly avoided colliding with was likely a military plane due to its speed.
“I cannot ascertain their exact speed, but they were considerably faster than us. I deemed it safest to maneuver behind them,” the pilot shared.
