A Beijing plane crash killed the pilot and injured 13 people on Friday after a small aircraft struck the 109-story CITIC Tower in the Chinese capital’s Chaoyang District, authorities said.
The two-seat light sport aircraft hit the 528-metre tower near the East Third Ring Road at about 5:55 p.m. local time, or 2:55 p.m. PKT, according to AP.
Officials said the pilot was the only person on board. They did not immediately announce the cause of the crash.
The aircraft was identified as an Aurora SA60L sport aircraft. AP and other reports identified it as a Sunward SA60L Aurora, registered B-12PP.
CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, is Beijing’s tallest building. It stands in the city’s Central Business District, about six kilometres from the Forbidden City and near Zhongnanhai.
The Flightradar24 data showed the aircraft left Shifosi Airport in Beijing’s Pinggu district and flew toward downtown Beijing before tracking ended in Chaoyang District.
The plane belonged to Beijing-based Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation. The company offers sightseeing tours and flight training.
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The crash raised questions about aviation controls in Beijing, where aircraft operations need clearance from the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the People’s Liberation Army Air Force. Chinese authorities opened an investigation into the crash.
