Pilot deliberately crashed plane into skyscraper: China

A pilot who crashed a small plane into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper last week acted for “personal reasons” and had long suffered from insomnia and anxiety, Chinese authorities say.

The Chaoyang district government described the man as a 66-year-old divorced freelancer from Beijing who lived alone and had held a sport flying licence since 2021.

He was killed when his Chinese-made Aurora SA60L light aircraft hit the 528-metre China Zun tower last Friday, injuring 13 other people.

The crash happened as people were leaving work about 6pm.

It left a hole in the glass facade of the 108-storey CITIC tower, nicknamed the “Zun” building because it mimics the shape of an ancient wine vessel of that name.

Investigators said the pilot took off from the eastern district of Pinggu before leaving his designated flight area and losing contact with air traffic authorities shortly before the crash.

Authorities added that entries in his personal diaries included expressions of “ending his life”.

The highly unusual incident raised questions about security in Beijing, one of the world’s most tightly monitored capitals.

Central Beijing is a military-controlled no-fly zone where flights are only permitted with official authorisation.

The crash site is close to the headquarters of state broadcaster CCTV and only a few kilometres from the Forbidden City and Zhongnanhai, the government compound and political centre of the ruling Communist Party.

Chinese authorities imposed a country-wide ban on light aircraft flights following the incident, state media reported.

Thirteen other people were injured in Friday’s crash but all are now out of danger, according to official statements.

with AP