Small Plane Crashes into Beijing's China Zun Tower, Prompting Investigation
A light two-seat Sunward SA60L crashed into Beijing's CITIC Tower (China Zun) on June 26, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people on the ground. Authorities have released few details, including the pilot's identity, later reported as 66-year-old Liu who reportedly acted for personal reasons and deviated from approved airspace. Flight-tracking data reviewed by Reuters places the last contact at about 2,800 feet, roughly 1,000 feet above the tower, and suggests the plane could have reached the building within minutes; the crash occurred near a major air corridor and raised questions about low-altitude aviation in China as an investigation proceeds, including a noted near-miss with a Hainan Airlines flight.
