Light aircraft strikes Beijing's 108-story landmark tower; occupants flee without belongings

A light aircraft crashed into CITIC Tower, Beijing's tallest skyscraper, sending debris onto the streets below and forcing occupants to evacuate.

According to the South China Morning Post, the collision occurred at around 5:55 p.m. local time Friday. The aircraft was a two-seat, single-engine light sport plane — a Sunward SA60L Aurora manufactured by China Star Air — operated by Shuangyue General Aviation. Its registration number was identified as B-12PP.

Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 confirmed the aircraft had deviated significantly from its planned flight path.

Videos circulating on social media platforms including X showed upper-floor windows shattering on impact and debris falling onto nearby sidewalks and green spaces. Footage also showed black smoke and flames rising near the ground-floor entrance, with water being sprayed to suppress the fire.

Occupants evacuated immediately after the crash. A person identified only as Lin told the SCMP they received an urgent evacuation order around 6 p.m. "I ran out without even grabbing my ID or bag," Lin said. A worker in a nearby building said they heard a loud explosion around 5:40 p.m. but did not see the collision itself.

Chinese authorities quickly cordoned off roads around the scene and deployed a large police presence. Ambulances also responded to the site. Reuters reported that Beijing police were preventing bystanders from taking photographs near the scene.

The Beijing municipal government last month tightened airspace management regulations, in effect banning recreational flights and consumer drone operations. Beijing is already considered the most strictly controlled airspace in China, making the aircraft's entry into downtown airspace all the more unusual, analysts said.

CITIC Tower serves as the headquarters of CITIC Group, a state-owned financial and investment conglomerate. Completed in late 2018, the building stands 528 meters tall, making it the tallest in Beijing.