A light aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest building on Friday, damaging the upper section of the 528-meter (1,731-ft) CITIC Tower, according to eyewitnesses cited by Reuters.
The accident occurred at around 6:00 p.m. local time in Beijing's central business district. Witnesses described the aircraft as being about the size of a car and said it struck the exterior of the skyscraper, leaving visible damage to two glass panels on a high floor.
Related news
August 05, 2024
March 19, 2024
Police closed roads around the building and ordered bystanders to leave the area. Several witnesses told Reuters they were asked to delete photos and videos of the incident, while posts about the crash quickly disappeared from Chinese social media.
According to preliminary information from aviation safety databases, the aircraft involved was a Sunward Aurora SA60L light aircraft, registration B-12PP, operated by Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation. The aircraft was reportedly on a local flight from Beijing Shifosi Airport with only the pilot on board.
https://x.com/airwayaviation/status/2070543195545485770
Unofficial reports indicate the pilot was killed in the crash. Chinese authorities had not confirmed the casualty toll or released details about the cause of the accident.
The CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, is the headquarters of state-owned CITIC Group. Standing 528 meters (1,731 ft) tall with 109 above-ground floors, it is the tallest building in Beijing and was completed in 2018 after construction began in 2012.
It remains unclear how the aircraft was able to reach the city's heavily restricted airspace, where general aviation flights are subject to strict controls. Authorities had not commented on whether the crash resulted from an accident or another cause.
