A small plane crashed into the CITIC Tower in Beijing on June 26, killing the pilot and injuring 13 others. The accident occurred in the city's core area. The official statement released the following day was brief, but did not specify the flight path, airspace control, cause of the accident, or responsible party. According to sources, Beijing police launched an investigation that evening into the pilot's background, the flight training club, and the licensing authority, focusing on whether human error was involved.
On June 27, the Chaoyang District Government of Beijing issued a statement saying that at 5:55 PM on June 26, a single-engine, two-seat light sport aircraft collided with a tall building in flight near the East Third Ring Road in Chaoyang District. The pilot, the only person on board, died, and 13 others were injured. The incident is under further investigation by the relevant authorities. The statement did not name the building, nor did it specify the aircraft's takeoff location, flight route, or airspace approval status. Reports from the scene indicate that the aircraft crashed into the CITIC Tower, also known as "China Zun," the tallest building in Beijing. The aircraft belongs to Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation Company.
The Ministry of Public Security has established an investigation team to oversee the matter.
According to Mr. Zhou, a source in Beijing, the police received the report minutes after the incident. Several hours later, an investigation team was established, led by the Ministry of Public Security and comprised of personnel from fire, air traffic control, and aircraft research and development departments. He said, "I heard that the Ministry of Public Security convened a meeting that evening with key leaders of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, and the fire department also participated. The next day, an expert group was notified to assist in the analysis to determine whether it was a human error or a mechanical or navigation-related accident. First, they investigated the pilot's family background and social circle; after ruling out human error, they then investigated the aircraft."
Mr. Zhou said, "This incident resulted in the death of a pilot and injuries to more than a dozen people. The losses were not significant, but the impact was huge. The location is only about 5 kilometers away from Tiananmen Square and Zhongnanhai. If the plane had flown any further, it would have reached Tiananmen Square in less than two minutes, which would have been world news. An accident investigation team was established that very night, and the case became a case supervised by the Ministry of Public Security."
Reuters reported, citing flight tracking data, that the aircraft, registration number B-12PP, was operated by Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation. After takeoff, it flew towards the urban area of Beijing before the tracking signal was lost.
Video footage from the scene shows debris falling to the ground after the plane crashed into the exterior wall of the CITIC Tower, with smoke rising from the road. Reports indicate that numerous police cars and fire trucks were present at the scene after the incident, with police blocking roads and requesting some passersby to stop taking photos and videos and to delete them. The related content was briefly circulated on mainland social media platforms before being deleted.
The blocking of information has sparked questions.
Another source, Mr. Wang, told this station that this is one of the major air accidents that has occurred in Beijing since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the authorities need to conduct an investigation before they can determine the nature of the incident. He said, "Currently, all training aircraft and light aircraft nationwide have been suspended from taking off. If it was a deliberate incident, it will most likely not be announced; if it was pilot error, they might announce it, but it is uncertain whether they will announce it at the moment. Because the incident occurred so close to Tiananmen Square, their biggest concern is a suicide attack."
The CITIC Tower, standing at 528 meters tall, is located in Beijing's Central Business District and is the tallest building in Beijing. Currently, related videos and discussions are restricted on multiple social media platforms in mainland China, with some content quickly being deleted. Some netizens suggested searching for information about the pilot, but related discussions were also blocked. However, on overseas social media, images of the plane wreckage falling from the sky and the site being cordoned off can still be seen.
According to a report in Hong Kong's Ming Pao, a reporter contacted several flight training clubs in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen posing as a student seeking information. A captain from a Beijing club stated that general aviation flights are currently suspended nationwide, and it is unknown when they will resume. He added, "A few days ago, someone flew a plane into the restricted area." Staff at a Shanghai flight club predicted the suspension would last at least 10 days, while clubs in other regions said they were "waiting for further notice."
Beijing aviation enthusiast Li Qiong told reporters that Beijing's airspace management is strict. A light aircraft entering the vicinity of the East Third Ring Road and crashing into the CITIC Tower involves at least flight approval, airspace monitoring, communication, and emergency response. He said, "If this aircraft mistakenly entered the Chang'an Avenue area, why wasn't it detected beforehand? If it deviated from its course, did air traffic control take any action? The pilot knew that aircraft cannot enter Beijing; it's a no-fly zone, a sensitive area. By the time it was detected, it was probably too late to stop it. Beijing is full of tall buildings; you can't stop it in time."
Was it intentional to incite discussion?
Mr. Pan, who is familiar with general aviation management, believes there are many suspicious points in this incident. He said, "This is highly suspicious. I suspect this was not an ordinary pilot. If you are not familiar with Beijing and do not have such high-level skills to fly an Aurora SA60L light aircraft from the suburbs to the CBD, it would be difficult. This aircraft took off from Shifosi Airport in Pinggu District in the northeastern suburbs of Beijing, flew low from east to west along the Beijing-Qinhuangdao Expressway and Tongzhou Road into the core area of the city, passing Poly Grand Metropolis, New Guangda Center, and many high-rise office buildings over 100 meters tall. If it was a deliberate collision, it certainly demonstrated the pilot's precise visual navigation ability."
Since the aircraft involved was a light sport aircraft, it is not usually equipped with a black box like those on commercial airliners, and the pilot died on the spot in the collision. It is not easy to reconstruct his final psychological state and actual piloting skills.
