China curbs light aircraft flights after deadly Beijing tower crash

BEIJING: China has halted light fixed-wing flights operated by private aviation companies after a small aircraft struck one of Beijing’s tallest buildings last week, according to a report by the Financial Times cited by Express Tribune.

The pilot was killed and 13 other people were injured when the small plane crashed into CITIC Tower on Friday. The building, also known as China Zun, is the tallest skyscraper in Beijing. The aircraft involved was identified as a domestically made Sunward SA60L Aurora, a two-seat light-sport plane.

The Financial Times report, citing three operators of small propeller aircraft and one glider company, said they had been grounded after the incident. Skydiving and paragliding operations were put on hold under a nationwide airspace control order covering recreational flights. No timeframe has been announced for how long the restrictions will remain in place.

Videos circulating from the scene showed pieces of debris falling from the 528-metre tower after the impact. The aircraft’s tail section was also visible on the ground.

Investigation underway

District authorities in Beijing have said an investigation is under way to determine what caused the crash.

Non-commercial and non-cargo flying activity across China dropped sharply on Saturday after the accident, citing flight-tracking service Flightradar24.

Recent aviation controls in Beijing

Earlier this year, authorities in the Chinese capital introduced new regulations that prohibit unmanned aerial vehicle flights across most of Beijing.

The last aircraft crash reported in Beijing before Friday’s incident took place in 2022, when a tourist helicopter went down during a flight between the Changping and Fangshan districts, killing the two pilots on board.