Chinese authorities said the June 26 crash of a small aircraft into Beijing’s CITIC Tower was caused by the pilot for “personal reasons.” The 66-year-old pilot, identified by authorities only by his surname, Liu, was killed when the two-seat Aurora SA60L struck the 109-story skyscraper, also known as China Zun.
Thirteen others were injured. The BBC reported that one had been discharged from the hospital by Thursday, while DPA reported that officials said all of the injured were out of danger.
“The comprehensive investigation concluded that this was a case of endangering public safety caused by personal reasons,” the Chaoyang district government said.
Officials said Liu was a divorced Beijing resident who lived alone and worked as a freelancer. The district government said his personal diary included multiple references to ending his life and that he had chronic insomnia and anxiety.
The aircraft departed from Beijing’s Pinggu district. During that flight, officials said he left his assigned operating area, lost contact with the airport and struck the building. Officials said Liu became a sport pilot in 2021 and had been a private pilot since 2024.
Chinese authorities imposed a nationwide ban on light aircraft flights after the crash.
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