BEIJING — A small light aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people on the ground, Chinese authorities said, in a rare aviation incident in the Chinese capital's tightly controlled airspace. The Chaoyang district government said the two-seat aircraft struck a high-rise building near the East Third Ring Road at about 5:55 p.m. local time. Authorities said the pilot, the only person aboard, died at the scene, while the injured were receiving medical treatment.
The crash drew attention because Beijing maintains some of the world's strictest airspace controls, with flights over much of the city heavily regulated. Flight-tracking data and multiple eyewitness accounts indicated the aircraft struck the CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, a 528-meter (1,732-foot) skyscraper that is the tallest building in the Chinese capital. Local authorities did not identify the building in their initial public statement.
The Chaoyang district government said the circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation and did not identify the pilot or provide a cause. Officials also did not specify whether the 13 injured people were inside the building or on the ground nearby.
According to Flightradar24 data cited by multiple news organizations, the aircraft was a single-engine, two-seat Aurora SA60L light sport aircraft registered as B-12PP. The flight-tracking service showed the aircraft flying over northeastern Beijing before turning toward the city's central business district, where it crashed. Reuters could not independently verify the aircraft's complete flight path.
Photographs from the scene showed damage to the exterior glass of the skyscraper. Reuters reported that the visible damage was limited to two broken glass panels, while emergency personnel responded and secured the surrounding area. Authorities did not report structural damage to the building.
The crash is highly unusual in Beijing, where civilian flights face strict operational limits because of extensive airspace restrictions around the capital and nearby government facilities. Reuters reported it was the first aircraft crash in Beijing since a helicopter accident in 2022.
Authorities have not announced what may have caused the aircraft to strike the building. The Chaoyang district government said the investigation is continuing, and no additional official information about the pilot, the aircraft's mission, or the condition of those injured had been released as of Saturday.
