A light sport aircraft slammed into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper Friday, triggering a massive evacuation and sending debris raining down into the heart of the Chinese capital’s business district.
It remains unclear whether anyone was killed or injured in the crash, how many people were aboard the aircraft, or what caused it. Authorities also have not disclosed where the aircraft originated.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show the aircraft crashing into the upper floors of Citic Tower, a 1,732-foot skyscraper in Beijing’s central business district. Large pieces of wreckage could be seen falling onto sidewalks and nearby green spaces as people inside the building rushed to evacuate.
A woman identified only by the surname Lin told the South China Morning Post she was forced to flee the building around 6 p.m.
“I ran out without my ID card or bag,” she said.
A man who works in a nearby office building said he heard a loud blast around 5:40 p.m. but did not witness the impact. Police quickly sealed off roads surrounding the tower, cleared bystanders from the area, and maintained a heavy security presence as emergency crews responded.
Several ambulances were parked outside the skyscraper.
Photos of the wreckage posted online showed the aircraft carrying registration number B-12PP. Flight tracking records identified it as a Sunward SA60L Aurora, a two-seat, single-engine light sport aircraft manufactured by China’s Starair Aircraft Co.
One social media post claimed the aircraft was operated by a local company that provides private pilot training, sightseeing flights, and aircraft management services. Calls to the company reportedly went unanswered Friday evening.
Chinese authorities had not released any official statement about the crash as of Friday night. Posts and videos related to the incident were also rapidly removed from Chinese social media platforms.
The crash comes just weeks after Beijing imposed sweeping new restrictions on its airspace, effectively banning recreational flying and consumer drone activity across the city. Under the new rules, all outdoor flights require prior approval from both government regulators and air traffic authorities.
The regulations also prohibit flying, selling, renting or bringing drones and key drone components into Beijing, with the exception of Yanqing District, which has been designated as the city’s official low-altitude flight and drone testing zone.
China has aggressively expanded its so-called low-altitude economy, which includes both manned and unmanned aircraft used for drone deliveries, logistics and other aviation services. The industry was formally designated as a national “emerging pillar industry” in the country’s 2026 government work report.
Citic Tower serves as the headquarters of the China International Trust and Investment Corporation, one of China’s largest state-owned conglomerates. The skyscraper, completed in 2018, stands as the tallest building in Beijing, towering roughly 190 meters above the China World Trade Centre Tower III.
