A light aircraft struck Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday afternoon, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people on the ground and inside the building. The cause of the crash has not been established and Chinese authorities have not ruled out deliberate intent.
The Chaoyang district government confirmed in a WeChat statement that at 5:55pm local time on 26 June, a single-engine, two-seat light sport aircraft struck a high-rise building near the East Third Ring Road in the Chaoyang district. The pilot was the only person on board and was killed in the collision. The 13 injured were on the ground and inside the building at the time.
北京最高楼“中国尊”6月26日傍晚怀疑遭到一架小型飞机撞击，伤亡情况未明。
— BBC News 中文 (@bbcchinese) June 26, 2026
网上流传片段显示，108层高的大楼出现一个明显窟窿，檐篷冒烟起火。路透社引述目击者称，事发时听见了巨响。
中国官方尚未证实事件，但目击者称警察封锁北京朝阳区中央商贸区周边部分道路，又阻止路人拍照。 pic.twitter.com/MLENVYmHJk
The building struck was the CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, a 109-storey skyscraper standing 528 metres tall in Beijing's Central Business District. It is the tallest building in Beijing and the tenth tallest in the world, and serves as the headquarters of state-owned conglomerate CITIC Group. It opened in 2019.
Videos verified by international news outlets showed the aircraft striking a high floor before spinning downward and crashing to the ground in front of the tower's entrance, sending large pieces of debris and aircraft parts onto the streets below and prompting crowds to flee. Damage to the building's facade appeared limited to two large missing glass panels, which had been temporarily boarded up by Saturday.
Videos and images of the crash were actively removed from the Chinese internet in the hours following the incident. Authorities have not identified the pilot or offered any explanation for what caused the aircraft to strike the tower. The injured are receiving medical care and an investigation is under way.
Sources: Reuters, ABC News, CNN
