Light Aircraft Hits Beijing's CITIC Tower in Rare City-Center Incident

A small sport plane crashed into Beijing's CITIC Tower, the tallest building in the Chinese capital, on Friday, in an unusual incident in one of the world's most tightly controlled cities. CNN described the episode as shocking, given the heavy security surrounding Beijing.

Videos circulating on social media in China showed large pieces falling from the top of the 109-story tower and the rear section of the plane lodged in the building. A CNN reporter at the scene said there was brief panic and a rapid evacuation of hundreds of people from the tower area and nearby streets.

Images and the aircraft registration visible in the footage indicate the plane was a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, a light sport aircraft made in China and owned by a local aviation company. Initial flight data published online from Flightradar24, which has not been officially confirmed, suggested the aircraft deviated sharply from its planned route.

The crash has raised questions in China because strict new rules took effect on May 1, making Beijing a tightly sealed airspace free of drones and unauthorized aircraft. Under those rules, residents are barred from buying, renting or flying small aircraft without explicit government permission anywhere in the city. Authorities are now investigating how the plane entered the sensitive airspace and struck the city center.