On Friday, June 26, 2026, a small light-sport aircraft crashed into CITIC Tower (also known as China Zun), the tallest skyscraper in Beijing, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people on the ground and inside the building.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:55 p.m. local time during rush hour in the city’s busy Central Business District.
The car-sized plane struck the upper floors of the 108-story, 1,732-foot tower, smashing a hole and shattering large glass panels.
The impact sent heavy chunks of wreckage and building debris, including the aircraft’s tail section, plummeting onto the streets below.
The Chaoyang district government confirmed that the pilot was the sole occupant of the plane and died in the crash.
The plane was identified as a Sunward SA60L Aurora, a domestically produced, single-engine, two-seat light-sport aircraft. Flight data showed the aircraft belonged to Shuangyue General Aviation, a regional flight training and sightseeing company.
The flight departed from an airfield in Beijing’s eastern Pinggu district (about 30 miles east of the city). It heavily deviated from its typical training route, flying west directly into the heavily restricted airspace of downtown Beijing.
Police, firefighters, and emergency crews quickly locked down the area, cordoning off surrounding roads and evacuating the tower.
The exact motive and cause of the crash—whether it was a mechanical failure, medical emergency, or deliberate act—remain under official investigation.
