MAF TRACON Controller reported an FA18 taking evasive action to avoid a landing C130 and suspected a possible NMAC.

Date: 2022-08 · Aircraft: F/A 18 Hornet/Super Hornet · Phase: descent

Anomalies: atc-issue-all-types|conflict-nmac|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

MAF TRACON Controller reported an FA18 taking evasive action to avoid a landing C130 and suspected a possible NMAC.

Narrative

I was CIC (Controller in Charge) (FLM (Front Line Manager)) of the TRACON and went outside to let personnel in to the building as others were on position and unable to do so. While I was outside I noticed a C130 which is rare at MAF; and then I heard afterburners of a fighter jet; which made me look and pay attention to the aircraft. As I watched there was a F18 that was in an evasive maneuver to avoid the C130. The C130 was over the approach end or Runway 10 and the F18 inbound from the north (for 16R). Once inside I watched the replay on FALCON; this was not a good replay as the F18 was moving so rapidly that the radar did not keep up with it (was going 520 kts. and in a rapid turn towards the C130). The replay lost and tag for the F18 but while looking closely you can see the primary target for the F18 and assuming the best case they were 300 ft. vertical and around 150 ft. lateral separated; this is not assuming the F18 was descending while in the break for the over head maneuver and taking the most direct route from one primary to the next of the F18; and both are unlikely; so the separation would have been closer. Assuming the normal maneuver this would have been around same altitude and about 50 ft. lateral separation (which is much closer to what I saw from outside the building). When reported to ATM (Air Traffic Manager) was told this is not a NMAC as the radar did not track the F18 and no pilot complained. I think this is a NMAC and should be handled as such. [On the] FALCON; the three hits it got on the F18 primary and in orange the three hits of the C130 and a red line in an arc for the F18 most likely flight path. These over lap over one another meaning this was most likely a NMAC which was only avoided by the action of the F18 and its quick maneuverability. After listening to the tapes the pilot did make a report and stated in a panic voice that they had the aircraft insight; without being told about the traffic.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.