A small plane crashed into the CITIC Tower, Beijing's tallest skyscraper, on June 30, killing the pilot—the only person on board—and injuring 13 others. The 109-storey building sustained holes on its side, which have since been boarded up. Despite the severity of the incident, the reasons behind the crash remain unclear.

The only official statement from China is a brief 60-word report published by the state-owned Beijing Daily. The crash occurred just a few kilometers from Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the Communist Party.

Flight tracking service Flightradar24 identified the aircraft as a two-seat, single-engine Aurora SA60L manufactured by Chinese company Sunward Aircraft. Following the crash, at least three aviation firms told the BBC they were instructed to suspend light aircraft operations but declined to provide further details.

Dramatic footage of the collision has been removed from the internet. Manya Koetse, who runs the Eye on Digital China newsletter, suggested that the rapid and thorough censorship might be due to Beijing's leadership "still not exactly sure what happened."

Beijing has also recently tightened drone regulations, requiring registration before drones can be brought in or out of the city, citing security concerns.

Outside China, the incident has drawn comparisons to the September 11 attacks in 2001. A Reddit user remarked, "This was exactly the same news alert I received when a plane hit the first tower during 9/11."

Chong Ja Ian, a non-resident scholar at Carnegie China, noted a closer historical parallel to the 1987 incident when German amateur pilot Mathias Rust landed a light aircraft in Moscow's Red Square.

The incident raises questions about government competence and security measures in Beijing.

Sources