Pilot in Beijing skyscraper crash had mental health issues, wrote about ending life

The 66-year-old pilot, surnamed Liu, flew a light aircraft into the 528-meter skyscraper in Beijing's Central Business District. The incident, which occurred at 5:55 pm, raised questions about aviation safety in Beijing, as the CITIC Tower is approximately seven kilometers from Zhongnanhai, the government compound for top Chinese leaders. Witnesses reported a hole in the windows of an upper floor, plane debris, and a small fire at the base of the tower.

Liu, who was divorced and lived alone, had reportedly suffered from insomnia and anxiety, with his diary containing multiple references to "ending his life." The Chaoyang district government stated it was "an incident endangering public safety caused by personal reasons." Liu worked as a freelancer and obtained a sport pilot license in 2021 and a private pilot license in 2024.

On the day of the crash, Liu took off from a general aviation airport in Pinggu district, conducting supervised and solo flights. During his final solo flight, he "deviated from the designated area and lost contact with the airport" before the crash. He was flying a two-seat propeller-driven light aircraft.

Photos and videos of the crash were quickly removed from Chinese social media, and police prevented journalists and onlookers from taking pictures at the scene.