If you're referring to the BE55/F-4C midair near Cherry Point in 1983 there
are a few items you remember incorrectly.

Quite possibly.

That interception wasn't incompetently handled,

The targeted intercept altitude was 1000 ft below the Baron, yet the
intercepting F4C wound up at the same altitude as the Baron. The
targeted closure rate was 50 kts, but the intercepting F4C closed at
120+ kts. I would call that incompetent.

the civilian pilot wasn't completely innocent

So what crime was he guilty of?

wasn't operating legally

Really? At the time of impact, he was making a turn as directed by
ATC. He called in and made a position report prior. There is some
question as to whether his flight plan was opened, but he's not here to
defend himself, and my experience is that crossed wires between
different facilities are not all that rare.

I've had search and rescue called out for me because I supposedly
failed to close a DVFR flight plan. It was only after I called the
facility with which I had closed the flight plan after completing my
ADIZ penetration that they admitted that in fact they had a record of
me closing the flight plan - they simply never forwarded it to the
facility responsible for my destination airport.

So given that the pilot made a position report once in range and was
complying with ATC instructions, I think it more likely that there was
a simple snafu rather than willful failure to activate a flight plan.

and wasn't on an IFR flight plan

That may be true - but he had filed some sort of flight plan, be it IFR
or DVFR.

I've been leery of the possibility of such problems ever since I was
given a clearance through a hot restricted area. That's a no-****ter.
I was vectored for traffic significantly off my route, then was cleared
present position direct destination. I was in and out of IMC, cruising
IFR at 6000 ft, when I realized that the frequency was awfully quiet.
I was unable to raise center on any of the published frequencies for my
area and headed straight for a restricted area (that my original flight
planned route missed by miles). Fortunately, I was able to raise the
tower controller at the military field next to the restricted area, who
then turned me over to the local military approach controller - who
vectored me around the restricted area since it was hot.

I wonder, had I lost comm due to equipment problems rather than poor
radio coverage, if, after I caught a missile up the exhaust pipe,
people would be claiming that I was not operating legally. I'm sure
some fault would be found with what I did, and maybe there would be no
record found of the clearance.

Michael