A single radar guided missile with explosive warhead, eg the SA-15, could be expected to easily catch something like an airliner on climb out. It would guide to the biggest radar reflection- a wing or wing/fuselage area and proximity detonate as designed. This would mean the seeker would be relatively intact, not having impacted the target, and with the warhead shape charge configured to create an expanding annular ring of debris. This shrapnel would most likely perforate the wing and fuselage- puncturing fuel tanks, causing a fire, perhaps damaging an engine and/or control lines. While it is possible for something as big as a multi engine airliner to survive a single missile strike, it is also quite possible to lose the aircraft from a single hit. The commercial aircraft would lack self sealing fuel tanks, lumbering into the air it wasn't evading so the missile would be able to get very close at detonation causing maximum damage...
I agree with your comments.
I am curious as to what altitude the plane was when/if the missile detonated.
100’, 500’ 5000’? How long after take off etc.
Might help determine the type of missile, if there was one.
As to the AC having a transponder, unless someone had the equipment to receive that information, at any distance, there would be no way to know if it was military or civilian.
And I wouldn’t expect the average RPG carrying goat herder to know the difference.
That’s a great explanation of how a missile takes down an aircraft. Learned something new today.
A+
Pictures of the downed aircraft show that the various shrapnel holes you are talking about.
IMO a ManPAD is also capable of a kill in the airliner climb out envelope and the hit in that case would be in an engine, the IR source for the seeker.
Also there are several "loose cannon" factions in that part of the world. If it is a shootdown , it may not have been coordinated with Iranian command authorities.