After a light aircraft crashed in the center of the Chinese capital Beijing, authorities have released further details about the incident.
July 2, 2026, 12:12 p.mJuly 2, 2026, 12:12 p.m
According to the Chaoyang district, the pilot was a 66-year-old man from Beijing who was said to have acted for personal reasons. The man, who lived alone, was a freelancer and divorced, it said.
The pilot, who reportedly had a sport flying license since 2021, died in the incident almost a week ago when his plane crashed into the China Zun, the city’s largest skyscraper, in rush hour traffic on Friday. The plane was a Chinese Aurora SA60L light sports aircraft, the authorities said.
The plane crashed into the China Zun.Image: keystone
Insomnia and anxiety
The investigation revealed that the man first took off in the single-engine plane in the eastern outskirts of Pinggu and later left the designated flight area and lost contact with the airport until he crashed into the 528 meter high building.
The authorities also said that the man had suffered from insomnia and anxiety for a long time. The expression “ending one’s life” also appeared in his diaries, it said.
Incident not far from the center of power
The extremely rare incident had raised questions about security in Beijing. The Chinese capital is considered to be particularly heavily monitored. The center of the metropolis is a military-controlled no-fly zone, for which flights are only possible after approval.
The scene of the accident is very close to the headquarters of the Chinese state television CCTV, known for its square architecture as the “big pants”, and only a few kilometers from the famous Forbidden City and the government complex and power center of the Communist Party, Zhongnanhai.
Nationwide flight bans for light aircraft
According to media reports, the government imposed a nationwide ban on light aircraft following the incident. 13 people were also injured in the incident last Friday. According to official information, these are now all out of danger. (hkl/sda/dpa)