hy flyer
I too would be surprised if someone admitted turning off transponder to illegally change altitude.
looking at the number 2 picture does show damage to horizontal stab as well as the winglet.
legacy was quite lucky, a few more inches on the stab and they might have lost control.
if the legacy was in a steep left turn, or it was crossing at a 90 degree angle to boeing, the winglet or the stab might have hit the cockpit/canopy of the 737 killing the pilots.
hyflyer, I do hope you will post what you learn from your friends regarding the transponder scenario.
tragic to be sure...
I've been in the jumpseat observing how a crew handled a near mid air ( with a toy balloon, but boy did they jump),I spotted it, called a toy balloon at 11 o'clock, I can imagine spotting a plane and over controlling the plane I was in to react to something unexpected at such a flight level.
j