gums:
Well, loma, the F-16 was in contact with ATC and on a published approch to Charleston.
The F-16 was being vectored to the final approach course for runway 15.
The collision occurred about 10 nautical miles east of the final approach course for runway 15 which is about 13 nautical miles north-northeast of CHS.
The TACAN runway 21 final approach course is close to where the collision occurred.
From the NTSB Preliminary report NTSB Identification: ERA15FA259A
http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.av...07X22207&key=1
According to preliminary air traffic control (ATC) radar and voice communication data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the F-16 pilot contacted the approach controller at CHS about 1052 and requested to perform a practice tactical air navigation system (TACAN) instrument approach to runway 15. The controller subsequently instructed the F-16 pilot to fly a heading of 260 degrees to intercept the final approach course. At 1055, the controller instructed the F-16 pilot to descend from his present altitude of 6,000 feet to 1,600 feet. About that time, the F-16 was located about 34 nautical miles northeast of CHS.