A SkyWest pilot performed an “aggressive maneuver” on Friday to avoid a B-52.

The pilot of a regional airliner flying over North Dakota made an unexpected sharp turn to avoid a possible midair collision with a military B-52 bomber that was in its flight path over the weekend.

After the SkyWest plane landed safely on Friday, the pilot told passengers that he had made an “aggressive maneuver” to avoid hitting a military aircraft, according to a recording of his remarks that...