Overview
- The two‑seat Aurora SA60L struck the 109‑storey CITIC Tower on June 26, killing the 66‑year‑old pilot and injuring 13 people with no life‑threatening wounds reported.
- Beijing’s Chaoyang district government said investigators reviewed the pilot’s diaries and medical history and concluded the crash was an act of endangering public safety for personal reasons.
- Officials say the pilot left his approved operating area and lost contact with the airport before impact, and flight data indicate the aircraft came close to a commercial A330 that aborted its descent.
- Authorities ordered suspensions and inspections of some flight schools and general‑aviation operators while a formal probe continues and regulators consider enforcement changes.
- Images and posts about the crash were rapidly removed from Chinese social media, raising questions about public information and how small civil aircraft can penetrate tightly controlled Beijing airspace.