Light Aircraft Strikes Beijing's Tallest Building, Debris Falls from 109th Floor Tower

A light aircraft hit Beijing's tallest building on Friday, sending large pieces of debris tumbling from the 109-story CITIC Tower, according to footage circulating online. The incident drew attention because it happened in one of the world’s most heavily secured cities, CNN described it as shocking. Video from the Chinese capital also showed the rear section of the small plane.

A CNN reporter at the scene said people were evacuated from the skyscraper and gathered in streets near the entrance. Images shared on social media, including the aircraft registration number, suggest the plane was a Chinese-made light sport aircraft, the Sunward SA 60L Aurora, operated by a local airline company.

Unverified flight data published online from Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft had deviated significantly from its planned route. The article did not say whether there were injuries or explain the cause of the collision.

The crash comes after Beijing effectively became a drone-free zone on May 1 under new regulations. Residents there are banned from buying, renting, or flying drones without government approval within the city’s broad jurisdiction.