Pilot Dies After Small Plane Hits Beijing Skyscraper, Wounding 13

A 66-year-old Beijing resident flew a small plane into the CITIC Tower last Friday, killing himself and wounding 13 people on the ground. The Chaoyang district government said Thursday that the pilot, identified only by his surname Liu, had chronic insomnia and anxiety and that his diary contained multiple expressions of ending his life.

Officials attributed the incident to the pilot’s personal circumstances; at least three aviation firms were later told to suspend light-aircraft operations.

Liu took off from an airport in Pinggu district that afternoon for a solo flight after completing an accompanied flight. He deviated from the designated area, lost contact with the airport, and collided with the 109-storey building, dying at the scene. One of the 13 injured people has since been discharged from hospital.

Liu held a sport pilot's licence obtained in 2021 and a private pilot's licence issued in 2024. He flew a two-seat, single-engine Aurora SA60L manufactured by Sunward Aircraft. The aircraft measures 6.9 metres long with an 8.6-metre wingspan.

In the days after the crash, at least three aviation firms were instructed to suspend light aircraft operations. Videos of the incident circulated on social media before being removed from Chinese platforms.