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Light Aircraft Crashes Into Beijing Skyscraper, Killing Pilot and Injuring 13
A single-engine plane struck CITIC Tower in central Beijing on June 26 at 5:55 p.m., killing the pilot and injuring 13 people on the ground. Chinese authorities attributed the crash to personal reasons and said an investigation is under way.
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A light aircraft crashed into CITIC Tower, Beijing’s tallest building, on June 26 at 5:55 p.m. local time, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people not on board. The single-engine aircraft struck CITIC Tower, Beijing’s tallest building, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people on the ground.
@Reuters reported that flight tracking data showed the plane’s final recorded altitude was about 2,800 feet before tracking ended just over 6 km from the tower. The aircraft, registration B-12PP and identified as a Sunward Aurora SA60L, departed Beijing’s Shifosi airport at approximately 5:27 p.m. The pilot was later named as 66-year-old Liu, a Beijing native.
The Chaoyang district government said Liu had long suffered from insomnia and anxiety, with his diary repeatedly mentioning ending his life. Authorities stated the incident was caused by personal reasons and that Liu had deviated from his approved flight area before losing contact with the airport.
Photos showed damage high on the building’s glass facade, where two large exterior panels were destroyed.
@Reuters reported that Hainan Airlines Flight 7146, an Airbus A330-300, was approaching Beijing Capital International Airport minutes earlier with just over 1,000 feet altitude difference from the light aircraft and later performed a go-around. An investigation is under way.
