Small plane crashes into Beijing's tallest building, one dead
The Chaoyang district government in Beijing has reported that one person has died and 13 others have been injured following an incident involving a small aircraft crashing into Beijing’s tallest building, the CITIC Tower, on Friday (26/6) afternoon.
“At 17:55 on 26 June 2026, near the East Third Ring Road, Chaoyang District, a single-engine two-seat light sports aircraft struck a high-rise building while in flight. The aircraft contained only the pilot (1 person), who has passed away,” stated the Chaoyang district government’s social media page, as reported by ANTARA in Beijing on Saturday.
The CITIC Tower (also known as China Zun) stands 528 metres tall, comprising 10_8 floors above ground and 7 floors below ground.
“Meanwhile, 13 other individuals at the scene sustained injuries. The injured are currently receiving intensive medical treatment. The situation is being further investigated by the relevant authorities,” the statement continued.
The building serves as the headquarters for a Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) represented by the Chinese Ministry of Finance, encompassing various business pillars including finance, smart manufacturing, raw materials, and smart city operations.
Located in Beijing’s primary business district, the tower sits opposite the offices of the state media outlet CCTV and is surrounded by numerous domestic and foreign corporate offices, as well as foreign embassies. The location is also approximately 6 kilometres from Beijing’s city centre, Tiananmen Square.
Videos circulating on Chinese social media, which were promptly removed, showed aircraft debris falling after striking one of the floors, with two glass panels on an upper floor damaged.
The aircraft has been identified as a single-engine, two-seat light sports aircraft registered to Shuangyue General Aviation. The company offers services such as pilot training, private recreational flights, and aerial photography.
According to social media reports, police arrived immediately at the scene, preventing people from taking photographs and requesting those who had recorded videos to delete them, while instructing the public to move away from the building. Dozens of police cars and several fire engines were lined up on nearby streets.
At this stage, it remains unknown whether the crash was accidental or intentional.
As of Saturday (27/6) afternoon, roads around the CITIC Tower remain closed, with police maintaining a presence around the site. Only individuals able to prove they work in the area are permitted access.
The crash occurred following Beijing’s ban on the purchase, rental, and unauthorised flight of drones for public safety, which has been in effect since 1 May 2026.
The last aircraft accident in Beijing occurred in 2022, when a tourist helicopter crashed during a flight between the Changping and Fangshan districts, killing two people on board.