A similar amount of energy directed at a commercial aircraft could corrupt the plane's control and navigation systems enough to cause a crash. Another important similarity shared by vulnerable systems involves post-attack evidence. Typically, there is none. Although the perturbation of the victim system is indisputable while subjected to the electromagnetic field, the affected circuits are rarely permanently damaged. This makes identification of the cause extremely difficult.
Failures appear to be anomalies with no traceable cause.
An interesting aspect of a successful HPM weapon attack is that no evidence remains to incriminate the perpetrator. Another feasible effect of an HPM attack, under proper conditions, is an unexplained explosion. The ability of electromagnetic energy to create a spark is undisputed. An even more impressive proof can be achieved by filling the oven with an explosive vapor before activating the magnetron with the twist tie in the oven. Whether there will be resulting evidence of a microwave-induced spark causing the resulting explosion is arguable.