Overview
- A two-seat Aurora SA60L light‑sport plane struck the 528‑metre CITIC Tower on Friday, June 26, killing the lone pilot and injuring 13 people, none with life‑threatening wounds.
- Beijing’s Chaoyang district said investigators found the pilot, identified only by the surname Liu, had long suffered insomnia and anxiety and wrote repeatedly about “ending his life,” and they ruled the incident a case of endangering public safety for personal reasons.
- Flight‑tracking data and official reports identified the aircraft as registration B‑12PP that took off from Pinggu general aviation airport, deviated from its approved operating area and lost contact with the airport before the crash.
- Authorities quickly scrubbed online photos and video of the crash, state media delayed formal reporting, and regulators ordered flight schools and some general aviation operations to suspend training and undergo safety checks.
- Investigators have not explained how the plane crossed restricted low‑altitude zones near central Beijing and a possible near‑miss with a commercial jet was reported, raising security concerns that could prompt tighter airspace controls and military and civil aviation reviews.