China Confirms Death of Pilot Who Flew Small Plane Into Beijing's Tallest Tower

China confirmed the death of a pilot after a small aircraft flew into Beijing’s Citic Tower, prompting renewed questions about security over the capital’s airspace. Authorities in Chaoyang District said Saturday that the two-seat, single-engine sport plane crashed into the high-rise at 5:55 p.m. on Friday, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people at the scene. The statement noted that injured people were receiving extensive medical care and that investigators were examining the crash. News came about 24 hours after social media videos showed debris and parts falling onto streets below Citic Tower, which houses the headquarters of Citic Group. Police maintained a perimeter and questioned pedestrians near the site. The crash occurred in calm weather, far from an airport, with FlightRadar data showing the aircraft took off from Pinggu at 5:31 p.m., circled, then flew west into central Beijing.