The pilot of the plane that crashed into the Beijing skyscraper wanted to commit suicide

The Chinese authorities have concluded that the pilot of the light-engine aircraft that crashed into the CITIC Tower in Beijing on June 26 acted intentionally. This was reported by Bloomberg on July 2, citing a statement from the Chaoyang District Administration.

"The pilot who crashed a small plane into Beijing's tallest skyscraper acted intentionally," the publication says.

According to the investigation, the pilot was a 66-year-old Beijing resident named Liu. He received an amateur pilot's license in 2021, and a private pilot's license in 2024.

According to the authorities, numerous notes mentioning the intention to commit suicide were found in the man's personal diary. Liu was a private entrepreneur, lived alone after his divorce, and suffered from chronic insomnia and anxiety disorder.

The crash occurred on the evening of June 26. The Chinese-made Sunward SA60L Aurora light-engine aircraft took off from an airfield east of Beijing and crashed into the 109-storey CITIC Tower, deviating from its planned route.

As a result of the accident, the pilot was killed. Another 13 people who were in the building were injured. Windows of several floors were damaged, and the wreckage of the plane fell in the office area.

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The plane crashed into the China Zun CITIC Tower on June 26, which is one of the tallest buildings in the city. The published footage shows that debris from the damaged aircraft is flying down from the height of the building. A single-engine two-seater aircraft collided with a high-rise building near the eastern section of the Third Ring Road during flight.