It appears that all parties involved in the incident in North Dakota are attempting to shield themselves from potential liability.
The Federal Aviation Administration said that it will investigate an incident that occurred in the skies above North Dakota, when a SkyWest regional jet performed an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid collision with a B-52 Stratofortress.
On Friday, July 18th, the SkyWest jet was on approach to Minot, North Dakota, with clearance from the tower. However, the aircraft was forced to make a steep bank, eventually executing a full 360-degree turn to avoid the eight-engine B-52, which was performing a flyover of the nearby North Dakota State Fair.
How the Near-Crash Unfolded, According to Passengers
SkyWest passenger Monica Green recounted the incident: “All of a sudden, we just jerk really hard to the right—we just kept taking more turns and more turns, and [the captain] gets on the announcement and says, ‘I’m sorry everybody, I’ll explain everything once we’ve landed safely.’”
Green was referring to the SkyWest pilot who addressed his passengers on the intercom shortly after performing the maneuver, stating: “Given [the B-52’s] 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.”
The Air Force, which bases the B-52 at nearby Minot Air Force Base, released a terse statement about the incident, in which it appeared to fault civilian air traffic control: “The B-52 crew contacted Minot International Airport tower, and the tower provided instructions to continue 2 miles westbound after the flyover. The tower did not advise of inbound commercial traffic.”
SkyWest said it will also investigate the incident, announcing in a statement that its plane had been “cleared for approach by the tower but performed a go-around when another aircraft became visible in their flight path.”
The Air Force and WestJet Both Deny Responsibility
It appears that all parties involved in the incident are attempting to shield themselves from the prospect of liability. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a statement noting that it was “investigating the event involving SkyWest Airlines Flight 3788.” Even the FAA appeared to shift blame, noting that the air traffic control at Minot was “run by a private company … These controllers are not FAA employees.” The most likely outcome of the incident is that the private ATC company will hold blame for the near-miss instead of the United States Air Force, Delta Airlines subsidiary, or the Federal Aviation Administration.
The incident occurred at a time when aviation incidents are a nearly daily occurrence in the news.
In January, an American Airlines flight collided with a US Army UH-60 Black Hawk in the traffic pattern for Ronald Reagan Airport in Arlington, Virginia. The collision between civilian and military aircraft claimed the lives of all 67 people involved.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a Senior Defense and National Security Writer at The National Interest. Kass is an attorney and former political candidate who joined the US Air Force as a pilot trainee before being medically discharged. He focuses on military strategy, aerospace, and global security affairs. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global Journalism and International Relations from NYU.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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