What if.....

[53driver]

I read a theory that the fuel nozzle had a leak ( hard to detect under the conditions), the F18 engines picked up the extra fuel and accelerated into the tanker. The person speaking seemed to have some knowledge of such things, but I'm clueless.

Plausible. Helluva leak to cause that much acceleration.
I've plugged several times behind a C-130 and once plugged, you take station above the C-130's wing.
If a large amount of fuel leaked at just the right time, they could have hit the wing I suppose...
It's still heart breaking.