A light sport aircraft crashed into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper Friday evening, triggering a large emergency response, forcing the evacuation of the building and sending debris into the city’s central business district.
Chinese authorities had not confirmed any fatalities or injuries as of Friday night. Officials also had not disclosed how many people were aboard the aircraft, where it originated or what caused the crash.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show the aircraft striking the upper floors of Citic Tower, a 1,732-foot skyscraper that serves as the headquarters of the China International Trust and Investment Corporation. Footage showed large pieces of wreckage falling onto sidewalks and nearby green spaces as occupants evacuated the building.
A woman identified only by the surname Lin told the South China Morning Post that she fled the building without any of her belongings.
“I ran out without my ID card or bag,” she said.
Another office worker in a nearby building said he heard a loud explosion around 5:40 p.m. local time before emergency responders arrived. Police quickly established a security perimeter around the tower, closed nearby roads and kept bystanders away while firefighters and medical personnel responded.
Multiple ambulances were seen outside the skyscraper as authorities assessed the damage.
Photographs of the wreckage posted online identified the aircraft as a Sunward SA60L Aurora, a two-seat, single-engine light sport aircraft carrying registration number B-12PP. Flight tracking records indicated the aircraft was manufactured by China’s Starair Aircraft Co.
One social media post claimed the aircraft belonged to a local aviation company that provides pilot training, sightseeing flights and aircraft management services. Calls to the company reportedly went unanswered Friday evening.
Chinese officials had not released an official statement regarding the incident by Friday night. Videos and posts related to the crash were also reportedly removed from several Chinese social media platforms shortly after they appeared online.
The crash occurred only weeks after Beijing implemented sweeping restrictions on recreational aircraft and drone operations across the city. Under the new regulations, all outdoor flights require advance approval from aviation regulators and air traffic authorities.
The rules also prohibit flying, selling, renting or transporting drones and key drone components within most of Beijing, except Yanqing District, which has been designated as the city’s official testing zone for low-altitude aviation, per Trending Politics.
China has invested heavily in expanding what it calls its “low-altitude economy,” which includes drone technology, logistics operations and light aircraft. The sector was officially designated as a national emerging pillar industry in the country’s 2026 government work report.
Citic Tower, completed in 2018, is the tallest building in Beijing and one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. The 1,732-foot skyscraper dominates the capital’s skyline and houses offices for one of China’s largest state-owned investment conglomerates.
Authorities have not said when the building may reopen or whether structural damage extended beyond the impact area. Investigators are expected to examine flight records, maintenance history and debris from the aircraft as they work to determine the cause of the crash.
