China says man who flew plane into Beijing skyscraper had mental health problems

Chinese authorities have identified the pilot responsible for crashing a small plane into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, the China Citic Tower, as a 66-year-old man experiencing mental health problems. The official statement, released Thursday, provided the most detailed account of the unusual incident that occurred on the evening of June 26.

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During the independent flight, he deviated from the designated area and lost contact with the airport, subsequently colliding with the high-rise building and dying at the scene.

The pilot, identified by the surname Liu, was a divorced 66-year-old who lived alone. He obtained a private pilot's license in 2024. According to the Chaoyang district government statement, Liu took off from a general aviation airport in Pinggu district, on Beijing's outskirts. During his independent flight, he deviated from the designated area, lost contact with the airport, and subsequently collided with the high-rise building, resulting in his death at the scene.

Authorities stated that Liu suffered from chronic insomnia and anxiety and had documented intentions to end his life in his diary. The comprehensive investigation concluded that the incident was a case of endangering public safety driven by personal reasons. The crash injured 13 people, none of whom sustained life-threatening injuries.

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Liu suffered from chronic insomnia and anxiety and that he had repeatedly written in a diary about “ending his life”.

Beijing maintains some of the world's strictest aviation control policies, making the sight of planes over the capital exceedingly rare, with drones and light aircraft forbidden without permission. The incident occurred in Beijing's central business district, approximately 8 km from the Zhongnanhai compound, the residence of leader Xi Jinping. Following the crash, authorities imposed a heavy police presence around the tower, prohibiting photography, and delayed their official statement for nearly 24 hours. Social media posts and videos of the event were quickly deleted, and searches for related terms on platforms like Weibo yielded unrelated results or were met with denial.

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The comprehensive investigation concluded that this was a case of endangering public safety caused by personal reasons.