BREAKING: Small Plane Crashes Into Beijing’s Tallest Skyscraper — CITIC Tower (China Zun) Evacuated as Debris Falls

BREAKING: Small Plane Crashes Into Beijing CITIC Tower (China Zun) – Evacuations Underway | 17GEN4 News

By 17GEN4 News | June 26, 2026

A small general aviation aircraft slammed into Beijing’s iconic 109-story CITIC Tower (also known as China Zun), the city’s tallest skyscraper, on Friday evening, sending debris cascading down the facade and triggering a major evacuation.

Police prevented some people from taking pictures and asked others to delete those they had taken while ushering people away from the building according to a report by Daily Mail

timeline sketchy: Daily Mail:

'It was so loud – louder than fireworks,' he said. He added he had shot a video of the aircraft sticking out of the building, but later deleted it because he was scared of getting caught by police. Another courier whom Reuters spoke to said he had come to the scene after seeing unverified social media images showing wreckage of a small aircraft on a road next to the building. Social media posts of the building on Friday were quickly removed from Chinese social media. A search of the building's name on the Xiaohongshu app returned only posts dated Thursday.

The incident occurred around 6:00 p.m. local time (Beijing time) in the Central Business District (CBD) of Chaoyang District. Dramatic videos and photos circulating on social media show a visible hole in the building’s glass facade, shattered windows, falling wreckage, and smoke rising from the ground level.

What We Know So Far

The aircraft involved was a Sunward SA 60L Aurora light aircraft, registration B-12PP — a domestically produced Chinese general aviation plane.

It was on a solo flight piloted by Liu Junhua. The plane took off from Beijing Shifosi Airport (ZBPG) around 5:30 p.m. local time and was preparing to return for landing shortly after 5:40 p.m. when it deviated from its planned flight path. Air traffic control lost contact and radar signal near Beijing’s East Fifth Ring Road area before the aircraft struck the tower.

Unverified flight data from Flightradar24 appeared to show a severely deviated flight path for the aircraft.

Upon impact, the small plane broke apart. Parts of the wreckage — including a wing section and what appears to be the tail — fell to the ground near the base of the 528-meter (1,732 ft) skyscraper. Debris rained down the side of the building, and thick smoke was visible at ground level where wreckage landed. Some reports mention minor ground-level damage, including a shattered window on a nearby taxi.

Building Evacuated, Area Secured

Authorities immediately evacuated the CITIC Tower. Police have cordoned off the surrounding area, closed nearby roads, and restricted access. Emergency services are on the scene responding to the incident.

Videos from the ground show debris falling onto lower levels and the street below, with people and responders visible in the vicinity.

Casualties and Damage Assessment

The full extent of injuries and casualties remains unclear at this time. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash. Some early social media and news reports mentioned possible injuries, but no official confirmed death toll or injury count has been released. Chinese authorities are investigating the cause.

Structural damage to the supertall tower appears limited to the impact zone on the facade (reports describe a hole and shattered windows high up the building). There are no indications of major structural compromise to the 109-story building.

The cause of the deviation and crash is under active investigation. No official statements from Chinese aviation authorities or the CITIC Group have been issued yet regarding the pilot’s condition or any mechanical issues.

This is a developing story. 17GEN4 News

Breaking: Small Plane Crashes Into Beijing CITIC Tower (China Zun) – Evacuations Underway | 17GEN4 News

Latest breaking news: A small Sunward SA 60L Aurora aircraft (B-12PP) piloted by Liu Junhua crashed into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper, the 109-story CITIC Tower (China Zun), on June 26, 2026. Watch shocking videos of debris falling, hole in facade, and mass evacuations. Full details on damage, injuries, and investigation.

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