Pilot dies after plane hits Beijing skyscraper, 13 injured

A 66-year-old pilot died after his small aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper last Friday, an incident authorities have attributed to the man's personal mental health struggles. The crash, which occurred in the heart of China's heavily guarded capital, also injured 13 people on the ground.

The pilot, identified only by his surname Liu, was flying a two-seat, single-engine Sunward SA60L aircraft when it struck the 108-story CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, in Beijing's Central Business District on the evening of June 26. Officials from the city's Chaoyang district government stated that Liu, a Beijing native and freelance pilot, had taken off from a general aviation airport in the suburban Pinggu district that afternoon. He first completed an accompanied flight, then embarked on a solo flight.

During the solo segment, Liu deviated from his approved flight path and lost contact with the departure airport before the plane collided with the skyscraper. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement released on Thursday, July 2, authorities provided their findings on the cause. They said Liu, a divorced man who lived alone, had long suffered from chronic...