Beijing's Tallest Building 'China Zun' Hit by Small Aircraft; Reuters Reveals 20 Years of Small Plane Crashes

A small aircraft reportedly collided with "China Zun," Beijing's tallest skyscraper, in an incident that is considered rare given the stringent airspace regulations in the Chinese capital. The exact nature and extent of the damage to the CITIC Tower, commonly known as China Zun, are not immediately clear from the initial reports.

The incident occurred despite Beijing's tightly controlled airspace, which typically restricts private aviation. The report highlights the unusual nature of such an event, prompting a review of past aviation incidents involving small planes and helicopters in the Beijing area over the last two decades.

According to data compiled by Reuters from civil aviation authorities and Chinese state media, several accidents have occurred since 2002. These include a sightseeing helicopter crash between Beijing's Changping and Fangshan districts on July 6, 2022, which killed two pilots. Another incident on July 30, 2018, involved a civilian helicopter crashing in a village parking lot in Chaoyang District due to pilot error, injuring four people on board.

Further past incidents include a small training helicopter falling into Miyun Reservoir on June 6, 2015, resulting in two deaths. A small training aircraft crashed near the Miyun Reservoir on April 10, 2014, killing one pilot and injuring another. On August 17, 2011, four out of five crew members died when a police helicopter crashed into Miyun Reservoir while returning from a search and rescue exercise. Additionally, a helicopter crashed and caught fire after hitting high-voltage power lines during pesticide spraying operations in the remote Pinggu District on July 12, 2008, killing one pilot.

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