Pilot killed, 13 injured after light aircraft crashes into Beijing skyscraper

A pilot was killed and 13 other people were injured after a light aircraft crashed into a high-rise building in Beijing’s central business district on Friday, 26 June 2026, Chinese authorities said, in a rare aviation accident in the Chinese capital where airspace is tightly controlled.

The Chaoyang district government said the single-engine, two-seat light sport aircraft struck the building near the East Third Ring Road at 5:55 p.m. local time. The pilot, who was the only person on board, died in the crash, while the injured were receiving medical treatment.

Authorities did not identify either the pilot or the building involved. They said an investigation into the cause of the crash was under way.

According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, the aircraft was a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, registration B-12PP, which crashed into CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, Beijing’s tallest building.

Flightradar24 said ADS-B data captured only part of the aircraft’s flight path before the signal ended shortly before the crash. The aircraft had taken off from an airport about 50 kilometres east of Beijing, travelled westward, and its recorded track ended just east of the East Third Ring Road.

The 109-storey CITIC Tower, headquarters of the state-owned CITIC Group, stands 528 metres (1,732 feet) tall and is one of Beijing’s most recognisable landmarks. Designed in the shape of an ancient Chinese wine vessel, it dominates the city's central business district.

Witnesses describe impact

Videos circulating online showed members of the public fleeing as debris fell from the tower following the impact.

According to People, an employee at a nearby gym, identified only by the surname Zhang, told The New York Times that he saw the aircraft strike the tower at around 6 p.m. local time. He also said a woman with a head injury was taken from the scene by ambulance. 

An employee at a nearby gym, identified only by the surname Zhang, told The New York Times he saw the aircraft strike the tower at around 6 p.m. local time. He also said a woman with a head injury was taken from the scene by ambulance.

A postal worker told Reuters he heard "a large crash" before running outside and seeing an aircraft "the size of a car" embedded in the building. "It was so loud – louder than fireworks," he said.

As of Saturday, the damaged section of the building had been boarded up.

Heavy security presence after crash

Witnesses reported a large deployment of police and firefighters around the building following the crash.

Police cordoned off the area and directed people away from the scene. Officers stopped witnesses from taking photographs and instructed some people to delete images they had already taken.

The postal worker who spoke to Reuters said he had recorded video showing the aircraft lodged in the building but later deleted it because he feared being detained by police. A Reuters journalist at the scene was also told by an officer to leave the area.

Investigation continues

Authorities have not said whether the crash was accidental or deliberate, and no further details have been released.

It also remains unclear whether the 13 injured people were inside the building or were struck by falling debris.

Chinese state media had not reported the crash by Saturday, and authorities had not issued any further statement beyond the brief notice published by the Chaoyang district government.

According to the Associated Press, social media posts about the incident were removed from China's domestic internet, although videos of the crash continued circulating on overseas platforms, including X.