Plane Crashes into Skyscraper in Beijing, China: Pilot Had Personal Reasons

A small aircraft crashed into the tallest skyscraper in Beijing, killing the pilot—the sole occupant—and injuring 13 others on 2 Мун June. It was only on Thursday (02/07) that Chinese authorities spoke out.

The pilot who crashed his small plane into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper was reported to be suffering from “chronic insomnia and anxiety disorders” and committed the act for “personal reasons,” authorities stated on Thursday. The pilot was identified only by his surname, Liu.

Liu, a 66-year-old Beijing resident, was a freelancer who was divorced and lived alone, according to a statement from the Chaoyang District government. The statement added that Liu’s diary contained “many expressions of a desire to end his life.” “A thorough investigation concluded that this was a case of endangering public safety caused by personal reasons,” the statement read.

Officials said that one of the injured victims has been discharged from the hospital.

On the afternoon the incident occurred, Liu flew the aircraft from an airport in the Pinggu District, conducting both accompanied and solo flights, according as the Chaoyang District government stated. “During his solo flight, he left the designated area and lost contact with the airport, then struck the high-rise building and died at the scene,” the statement said.

According to authorities, Liu obtained a sport pilot licence in 2021 and a private pilot licence in 2024.

Before Thursday (02/07), Chinese apparatus had remained silent regarding the incident. A 60-word report containing basic facts in the state-owned media, Beijing Daily, was the only official statement published by China so far regarding the accident, which occurred just kilometres from Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the Communist Party.

The collision on Friday (26/06) created a hole in the side of the 109-storey CITIC Tower, which has since been boarded up. Dramatic footage of the incident has been removed from the internet.

At least three airlines told the BBC that they had been instructed to suspend light aircraft operations but refused to elaborate further. They claimed they had been ordered not to discuss the matter. “We were told not to talk about it. Please ask elsewhere,” said a woman from a flight training institution in Beijing.

Another company in Chengdu refused to name which authority issued the instruction and promptly ended the call.

Amidst the information vacuum, speculation has increased regarding how the aircraft could penetrate a city with the world’s strictest airspace controls. China is no stranger to censorship; criticism of the party, national leaders, or the government is rare. Any discussion that appears critical, has political implications, or touches on sensitive issues quickly disappears.

This time, however, it has gone beyond obvious targets. Photos and memes of the skyscraper, unrelated to the Friday incident, have also been deleted from Chinese social media platforms. “This is a very unusual incident,” one observer noted, adding that it questions government competence and threatens the “party’s important narrative.”

The building, shaped like a Chinese wine vessel, is a local attraction. Many view it as a bringer of good luck, and young people seeking good fortune for everything from exam results to employment often visit or share photos of the building online, accompanied by short prayers.

The aircraft was a single-engine Aurora SA60L with two seats, produced by the Chinese company Sunward Aircraft, according to flight tracking service Flightradar24. With a length of 6.9 metres and a wingspan of 8.6 metres, the aircraft was designed for sightseeing, aerial photography, and recreational flying.

Outside China, Friday’s incident reminded some of the attacks on 11 September 2001, when hijackers flew US passenger planes into New York skyscrapers. “This is exactly like the news alert I received when a plane hit the first tower on 9/11,” wrote one Reddit user.

Beijing enforces a permanent no-fly zone covering approximately 100 square kilometres over the core government area, which includes Tiananmen Square and Zhongnanhai, a highly guarded complex where top national leaders live and work. China analyst Bill Bishop described the incident as a “major security breach.” “Just a few seconds more flying and [the collision] could have happened at Zhongnanhai… [It would have been] a massive shock to Beijing’s security system.”

Beijing has also recently tightened regulations regarding drones due to security concerns. Drones must now be registered before they can be brought in or out of the capital. “The fact that a small aircraft, much larger than most drones, was able to fly across most of the city and approach Zhongnanhai is politically embarrassing and a major security oversight,” said Raymond Kuo, vice president of research at the Chicago Council of Global Affairs. While it could be pilot error or mechanical failure, he added that it “could also have been intentional.”