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A small plane has just crashed into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper. It’s hard to imagine this was an accident, which is of course a chilling reality.
Shortly before 6PM on Friday, June 26, 2026, a small two-seater Sunward SA 60L Aurora crashed into Beijing’s CITIC Tower, located in the central business district. This is the city’s tallest building, with 109 floors, and rising to a height of 528 meters (1,732 feet). The plane impacted the building toward the top.
The plane that crashed into the building had the registration code B-12PP, and it took off from Beijing Shifosi Airport, a general aviation airport not far from the city. The plane seems to be owned by Shuangyue General Aviation, which appears to rent out planes for things like flight training, aerial photography, and tours.
Fortunately the damage to the building was limited, and it appears that only the glass panels on the floor that the plane crashed into were majorly damaged, while there isn’t believed to be any structural damage. The plane basically came apart on impact, and video footage shows the plane’s parts (including the entire tail section) falling to the ground. Man, what a terrible thing to see.
As you’d expect, the building and surrounding areas were evacuated following this incident. A small fire did break out on street level, where the tail section fell, but it was quickly contained.
Not surprisingly, little is known so far about who the pilot of the aircraft was, the number of casualties (if any, beyond the pilot), etc.
I’d be surprised if we learn a lot more about this incident, given the extent to which China tries to control narratives. Just keep in mind that in March 2022 we saw a China Eastern Boeing 737 crash, and how that was handled. We know that both of the plane’s engines were shut off, and international authorities have suggested this was a pilot suicide.
However, China has refused to reveal the reason for the accident, arguing that “disclosure may endanger national security and social stability.” I have to imagine it could be a similar story here, especially since they don’t want any copycat incidents. Most discussion of this on popular Chinese social media sites has reportedly even been blocked.
Obviously this is horrifying to see, and it can’t help but make many people think back to 9/11, given the concept of a plane crashing into one of the most iconic towers in a city. Thank goodness that this was at least much less serious, in terms of fatalities beyond those of the people onboard. A small two-seater plane can’t do nearly as much damage as a commercial aircraft.
A small plane crashed into Beijing’s tallest tower on Friday evening, making for some ghastly visuals. While the plane shattered some glass panels, it otherwise didn’t do major damage to the building, and instead, just fell to the ground in pieces.
I think it’s safe to assume this was a deliberate act, and I’d be shocked if we learn significantly more official details about what happened.
What do you make of this plane crash in Beijing?
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