The threat isn't about damaging the plane or forcing it to crash, it is about potential interference with electronic guidance and instruments, especially in the

The threat isn't about damaging the plane or forcing it to crash, it is about potential interference with electronic guidance and instruments, especially in the event of an instrument landing. With a 2 degree glide slope during landing, even a 0.05% change in the radio signal can see a plane hit a mountain as opposed to safely clearing it. Here are two relevant accidents where the instruments were just a fraction off and caused a collision: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Air_Flight_801 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Air_Flight_801 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Inter_Flight_148 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Inter_Flight_148