A SkyWest pilot said nobody warned them about the B-52 being in the area as they approached Minot International Airport in North Dakota.

The B-52 Stratofortress, a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s, has a wingspan of 185 feet and can fly at altitudes similar to commercial aircraft. The size and speed of such military aircraft make collision avoidance particularly critical.

The pilot told passengers that he made an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid a military aircraft over North Dakota. The Air Force said a B-52 was conducting a flyover at a state fair at the time.