Stinger missiles are effective up to 11,500 feet altitude. The plane was at 33,500 feet before crashing.
Ok, now here is one of the issues.
Throughout the last few days, the altitude of the plane seems to have risen about 5,000 feet. I haven’t seen a definitive altitude.
But that is a ASL altitude, not AGL. If the plane was climbing to 30,000 and was over a mountain that was 8000’ it cuts the range down significantly.
Got it.