A single-engine, two-seat light-sport aircraft crashed into the upper floors of Beijing's tallest building, the 528-meter CITIC Tower, at approximately 5:55 p.m. local time on June 26, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The domestically produced Sunward SA60L Aurora aircraft, about the size of a car, struck the building's facade, damaging two glass panels and creating a hole that was temporarily boarded up [5, 6, 7, 3].
The pilot was the only occupant of the aircraft and died in the crash [2, 3, 4]. Inside the building, 13 people were injured as a result of falling debris and the impact [2, 3, 4]. Early reports varied on casualties, but authorities confirmed the deaths and injuries the following day [2, 3, 4, 8, 9].
Debris from the aircraft and parts of the building facade fell onto the streets around the skyscraper, prompting emergency responses from police and firefighters. They promptly cordoned off roads, controlled crowds, extinguished fires, and restricted photography at the scene [10, 1, 5, 6, 7, 2, 4]. A courier near the site described the incident as "so loud – louder than fireworks" [5].
The CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, is the headquarters of the state-owned CITIC Group and the tallest skyscraper in Beijing with 108 floors above ground [10, 1, 2, 4]. The crash occurred near the East Third Ring Road in the Chaoyang district [3].
Beijing's airspace is heavily restricted due to public security concerns, especially over the central urban area [2, 3, 4]. There was no immediate official comment on the cause of the crash, and authorities have launched a formal investigation into the incident [2, 3, 4]. Chinese social media posts and videos showing the crash and wreckage were rapidly removed or censored after the event [5, 6, 7].
Evacuations were carried out in the evening of June 26, and emergency services continued securing the building and the surrounding area into June 27 [1, 5, 6, 7, 2]. Officials confirmed the pilot's death and the injuries to 13 individuals that morning [2, 3, 4]. The investigation remains ongoing.
