Overview
- A two-seat Sunward SA 60L light-sport plane struck the upper floors of the 109‑storey CITIC Tower on Friday, shattering glass and sending debris down onto nearby streets.
- Chinese authorities confirmed the pilot was the only person on board and was killed, and that 13 people were injured either in the building or on the ground.
- Flight-tracking posts identified the aircraft as registration B-12PP and showed a flight from an east Beijing general aviation airfield that deviated from normal training routes before ending near the East Third Ring Road.
- Police and emergency crews sealed the area, evacuated the tower, and officers at the scene ordered bystanders to stop filming and delete footage while social media posts inside China were quickly removed.
- The crash has heightened questions about enforcement of Beijing's strict airspace rules for light aircraft and drones and could prompt tighter controls pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.