BEIJING — A small propeller aircraft crashed into the China Citic Tower in Beijing on June 26, 2026, killing the pilot and injuring thirteen others. The Chaoyang district government released a statement on July 3, 2026, concluding the incident was an act of endangering public safety due to personal reasons.

The pilot, a 66-year-old man surnamed Liu, died at the scene. None of the injuries sustained by the thirteen people were life-threatening, and one person had been discharged from the hospital by July 3. The China Citic Tower is Beijing's tallest building, standing 109 stories tall and reaching 528 meters in height. CCTV is headquartered across the road from the tower.

Liu took off from a general aviation airport in Pinggu district on the afternoon of the incident. He initially flew with a companion in a two-seater Sunward SA60L Aurora aircraft before flying solo. According to the Chaoyang district government, "During the independent flight, he deviated from the designated area and lost contact with the airport, subsequently colliding with the high-rise building and dying at the scene." The government also noted that Liu suffered from chronic insomnia and anxiety and had written in a diary about ending his life.

Liu was divorced and lived alone. Police officers ordered people not to take pictures near the tower on the night of the crash. Pictures and videos of the crash circulated on social media and were subsequently deleted. In its July 3 statement, the Chaoyang district government said, "The comprehensive investigation concluded that this was a case of endangering public safety caused by personal reasons." A search for terms related to the crash on the social media platform Weibo that day produced posts unrelated to the incident.