China restricted private aviation operators from flying light fixed-wing aircraft after a small plane crashed into one of the tallest buildings in Beijing last week, the United Kingdom-based Financial Times reported on Monday. The pilot was killed and 13 other people were injured when a small plane crashed into the skyscraper, identified as CITIC Tower, Beijing's tallest skyscraper, also known as China Zun, on Friday.
Grounding Orders and Airspace Control
Citing three operators of small propeller-driven aircraft and one glider company, the report said they “had been grounded after” the Beijing incident. It added that skydiving and paragliding services were suspended because of a “nationwide airspace control order covering recreational flights.” No timeline has been set for the control measures, it added.
Aircraft Details and Crash Scene
The aircraft involved in Friday's crash was a domestically produced Sunward SA60L Aurora, a two-seat light-sport aircraft. Videos from the scene showed debris falling from the 528-meter-tall (1,732-foot-tall) tower after the impact. The plane's tail section was also seen on the ground. Local district authorities in Beijing said a probe is underway to ascertain the cause of the crash.
Impact on Aviation Activity
“Aircraft activity in China other than cargo and commercial services fell sharply on Saturday following the incident,” the report added, citing Flightradar24, which tracks live flight data. Earlier this year, Beijing authorities enforced new rules barring flights of unmanned aerial vehicles from most of the capital. The last aircraft crash in Beijing was in 2022, when a tourist helicopter crashed during a flight between the Changping and Fangshan districts, killing the two pilots on board.
