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CHILLING audio has captured the moment a “shaken” pilot apologised to passengers after narrowly avoiding a horror midair crash.
The heroic pilot was forced to make an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid an incoming B-52 bomber as those on board watched on from their windows.
The flight, which was en route from Minneapolis-Saint Paul to Minot International Airport in North Dakota, was due to be a relatively simple 90-minute journey.
But the quick-thinking SkyWest Airlines pilot was called into action before landing when he was alerted of a B-52 Stratofortress in his flight path.
The bomber had taken off from the Minot Air Force Base on Saturday night without prior warning, local media reports.
The commercial Embraer E175 was forced to abort its usual route due to the incoming jet – leaving those on board shaken by a series of sharp turns.
Shortly after the chaotic few minutes, the pilot addressed the situation to the cabin crew and passengers.
He apologised for the erratic maneuvers and said once they safely landed he would detail exactly what happened.
The already panic-stricken travellers became even more concerned after one reported the pilot’s voice as being shaky.
Once they touched down in North Dakota, the pilot again spoke to passengers over the plane’s public address system.
In the recorded audio, the pilot explains how he received instructions from air traffic controllers to change his direction due to inadequate separation from an aircraft on the approach path.
The bomber was reportedly travelling at a high speed which concerned controllers and the pilot.
The pilot explained: “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.”
He then performed a go-around which caused the plane to take a number of sudden movements which startled many of the passengers.
“So sorry about the aggressive maneuver, it caught me by surprise, this is not normal at all,” the pilot continued.
“I don’t know why they didn’t give us a heads up, because the Air Force base does have radar.
The pilot was quickly praised by the passengers for his calmness under the immense pressure.
Passenger Monica Green told KFYR TV: “He was very casual, if you can be casual about something like that, but you could tell he was stressed.
“He was almost shaking, trying to find the right words, but he was nice and detailed.
“It felt good that they weren’t just going to brush it off.”
The passenger plane was a Delta Connection regional jet being operated by SkyWest Airlines.
So sorry about the aggressive maneuver, it caught me by surprise, this is not normal at all
Heroic pilot
SkyWest Airlines released a statement to the New York Post confirming the frightening journey.
They said: “SkyWest flight 3788, operating as Delta Connection from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Minot, North Dakota on July 18, 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.”
Minot Air Force Base is home to the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing.
Around 26 B-52 bombers are stationed at the base by the US Air Force.
It follows another chilling piece of audio on board a US aircraft earlier this year.
Air traffic controllers could be heard losing all contact with planes approaching Newark airport in May.
One pilot was left asking, “approach, are you there?” as he was met with radio silence from controllers for over 30 seconds in the terrifying recording.
