Small Plane Strikes Beijing’s Tallest Tower as Details Remain Unclear

A light aircraft crashed into a high-rise building in central Beijing on June 26, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people not on board.

Authorities said a single-engine, two-seat light sport aircraft collided with a high-rise building near Beijing’s East Third Ring Road at 5:55 p.m. local time, but have released few details about the circumstances surrounding the crash.

More than a week later, many questions remain unanswered. Chinese authorities have not explained how the aircraft entered airspace near one of the country’s most heavily controlled and politically sensitive areas.

Questions about the identity of the pilot swirled in the aftermath, only being confirmed by authorities almost a week after the crash.

An investigation is under way.

Chinese authorities said only that a light aircraft struck a high-rise building in Beijing’s Chaoyang district near the East Third Ring Road. Their statement did not identify the building.

Reuters identified the location as CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, through images, videos and reporting from the scene. The 528-metre (1,732-foot) skyscraper is Beijing’s tallest building and dominates the capital’s central business district. Beijing municipal government did not reply to a request for comment about the identity of the building.

Photos taken after the crash showed damage high on the building’s glass facade, where two large exterior panels were destroyed.

Flight tracking data reviewed by Reuters shows the aircraft’s final recorded altitude was about 2,800 feet before tracking ended in Chaoyang district. That places the aircraft about 1,000 feet above the roof of CITIC Tower, which rises more than 1,700 feet above the city.

While the exact point of impact has not been officially disclosed, publicly available imagery and photos captured by Reuters places the damage on the upper floors of the tower.

Data from Flightradar24 reviewed by Reuters showed aircraft B-12PP departing from Beijing’s Shifosi airport before flying west towards downtown Beijing.

Tracking ended in Chaoyang district, with the aircraft’s final recorded position just over 6 km from CITIC Tower.

The final point recorded by flight-tracking services does not necessarily represent the exact location of a crash. It is quite common for aircraft to lose signal.

Flightradar24 builds flight paths using data from a network of public and private receivers, and aircraft can disappear due to multiple factors, including altitude, signal quality or reception limitations.

Reuters has reported only the last recorded position available from Flightradar24 data and cannot independently verify the aircraft’s route after that point.

There is also an apparent discrepancy between the official crash time provided by authorities — 5:55 p.m. local time — and the final tracking point available from Flightradar24, with both listing the same time despite the plane being over 6km away from the tower.

However, by estimating the last recorded ground speed of the aircraft and the distance to the location of the crash, it is possible the plane could have reached the location within minutes of its last recorded location. Beijing municipal government did not reply to a request for comment about the timing discrepancy.

Estimating the travel distance based on the last recorded ground speed of 191km/h, the plane could have reached the tower within 2 minutes. This could have been earlier or later if the plane increased or decreased its speed.

Initially, authorities confirmed only that there was one person on board and that the pilot died in the crash. They did not publicly identify the pilot or release any information about their experience, qualifications or the purpose of the flight until almost a week later.

The pilot was later identified by Beijing’s Chaoyang district government as a 66-year-old man surnamed Liu. Liu, a Beijing native, had long suffered from insomnia and anxiety, ​and his diary repeatedly mentioned ending his life, the statement said. The incident was caused ⁠by “personal reasons,” it added.

Without identifying the 108-storey CITIC Tower, headquarters of one of China’s largest state-owned conglomerates, the Chaoyang government said Liu had deviated from his approved flight area and lost contact with the airport from which he took off before crashing ​into the building and dying at the scene.

Flight tracking data identified the aircraft as a Sunward Aurora SA60L, a Chinese-made, two-seat, single-engine light sport aircraft. The stall speed of the aircraft is 72km/h according to information on the manufacturer’s website.

Images circulating on social media showed debris carrying the registration B-12PP, while promotional material reviewed by Reuters indicated the aircraft may have been operated by Beijing-based Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation.

A Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation employee contacted by Reuters on Saturday said she was not sure whether B-12PP belonged to the company, without providing further information.

The crash has also raised broader questions about China’s rapidly expanding low-altitude aviation sector. Reuters found that some scenic flight operators and aviation companies had suspended services following the incident while awaiting guidance from regulators. Industry participants reported uncertainty over whether additional restrictions would be imposed as authorities investigate the crash.

Blaming ​the pilot does not explain the gaps in security, however. Internet users were still seeking answers in posts ​beneath the online statement before they were swiftly deleted.

A Reuters review of Flightradar24 data showed that Hainan Airlines Flight 7146, an Airbus A330-300, was approaching Beijing Capital International Airport in the minutes before the light aircraft crashed into CITIC Tower.

There was just over 1,000 feet difference between the two aircrafts in their altitudes before they crossed paths.

Flight data for the Hainan Airlines aircraft also showed a sharp increase in altitude around the same time, indicating that it climbed while on approach. The aircraft subsequently performed a go-around before landing from the opposite direction to its original approach path. Beijing Capital International Airport and Hainan Airlines did not reply to a request for comment about the flight path of the Hainan Airlines flight.

Flight-tracking data reviewed by Reuters shows a Hainan Airlines Airbus A330 carrying out a go-around as the Sunward Aurora SA60L crossed Beijing airport’s arrival corridor before continuing towards central Beijing.

The light aircraft continued flying westward towards central Beijing after crossing the approach paths.