Light Aircraft Hits Beijing's Tallest Skyscraper; Pilot Dies, 13 Injured

A light aircraft crash into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper has renewed scrutiny of low-altitude flying rules after the pilot died and 13 people inside the Zhongguo Zun (Citic Tower) were injured. Beijing’s Chaoyang District authorities said the single-engine, two-seater aircraft collided with the building’s exterior wall near Dongsan Huanlu, with the incident reported at 5:55 p.m. local time on the previous day. The building, a 528-meter, 108-story landmark in the Beijing Central Business District, suffered limited structural damage; two large exterior glass panels fell. Who is involved includes Chinese aviation and local government investigators, and Reuters analysis identified the plane as an Aurora SA60L registered B-12PP. The cause remains unconfirmed, while authorities are reviewing the flight path and aircraft condition.