A mid-air collision occurred between a Lockheed C-130H Hercules (C-130H Hercules, PACKR32) and a C-27J aircraft near Mackall AAF, North Carolina. The C-130, scheduled for a local tactical training flight, collided with the C-27, which was operating on training flight. The C-130, maneuvering to egress Luzon Drop Zone (DZ), was approaching a simulated airdrop route. The C-27 was departing Laurinburg-Maxton Airport for waypoint DZs for simulated airdrops. The C-130 was leveling at 1500 feet MSL on a heading of 193 degrees, while the C-27 was level at 1500 feet MSL, approximately 310 degrees, passing slightly beneath the C-130 from left to right. The right wingtip of the C-27 grazed the C-130’s nose gear door, causing damage to the gear door and tearing the flare dispenser hood. The C-27’s vertical stabilizer crossed directly in front of the nose of the C-130, and then impacted the front of the C-130’s right external fuel tank, leading to a path impacting midway down the inboard side of the number 4 engine and leading edge of the right wing. The C-130 sustained damage to the leading edge of the right wing and number 4 engine. The C-27 sustained significant damage to the top third of the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The accident investigation board determined that a breakdown in visual scan, resulting in insufficient clearing of the aircraft flight path, was the primary cause, compounded by overreliance on Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS), complacency due to routine mission profiles, limited visibility afforded by the C-27, and pilot attentional lapses due to channelized attention on aircraft control. The AIB President found that both aircrews exhibited a loss of situational awareness and a breakdown of visual scan outside the aircraft.A mid-air collision occurred between a Lockheed C-130H Hercules (C-130H Hercules, PACKR32) and a C-27J aircraft near Mackall AAF, North Carolina. The C-130, scheduled for a local tactical training flight, collided with the C-27, which was operating on training flight. The C-130, maneuvering to egress Luzon Drop Zone (DZ), was approaching a simulated airdrop route. The C-27 was departing Laurinburg-Maxton Airport for waypoint DZs for simulated airdrops. The C-130 was leveling at 1500 feet MSL on a heading of 193 degrees, while the C-27 was level at 1500 feet MSL, approximately 310 degrees, passing slightly beneath the C-130 from left to right. The right wingtip of the C-27 grazed the C-130’s nose gear door, causing damage to the gear door and tearing the flare dispenser hood. The C-27’s vertical stabilizer crossed directly in front of the nose of the C-130, and then impacted the front of the C-130’s right external fuel tank, leading to a path impacting midway down the inboard side of the number 4 engine and leading edge of the right wing. The C-130 sustained damage to the leading edge of the right wing and number 4 engine. The C-27 sustained significant damage to the top third of the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The accident investigation board determined that a breakdown in visual scan, resulting in insufficient clearing of the aircraft flight path, was the primary cause, compounded by overreliance on Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS), complacency due to routine mission profiles, limited visibility afforded by the C-27, and pilot attentional lapses due to channelized attention on aircraft control. The AIB President found that both aircrews exhibited a loss of situational awareness and a breakdown of visual scan outside the aircraft.