Pilot dies after small plane crashes into China building

A pilot has died after his small aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest building, the CITIC Tower, injuring 13 people on the ground. The rare incident occurred Friday evening, according to Chinese authorities who have launched an investigation into its cause.

Witnesses reported seeing plane debris at the base of the 528-meter (1,732-foot) CITIC Tower, and journalists at the scene observed a hole in the windows of an upper floor. An official statement released on WeChat by authorities in Beijing's Chaoyang District confirmed that "a single-engine, two-seat light aircraft crashed into a high-rise building" at 5:55 p.m. local time. The statement noted that "The only person on board was the pilot, who died, and 13 people were injured at the scene."

Video footage captured by a bystander showed fire trucks responding to small flames on the ground and what appeared to be aircraft wreckage near the building. Police and ambulances quickly secured the area, with officers preventing onlookers from taking photographs. The CITIC Tower, a prominent landmark in Beijing's business district, houses approximately 12,000 office workers across its 108 above-ground floors.

China maintains stringent regulations over its airspace, particularly in urban areas like Beijing, citing public security concerns. The circumstances leading to a light aircraft being in the vicinity of such a major skyscraper remain unclear as authorities conduct their investigation.

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a single-engine, two-seat light aircraft crashed into a high-rise building. The only person on board was the pilot, who died, and 13 people were injured at the scene.