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Light aircraft flights restricted in China after fatal Beijing crash
A pilot was killed while 13 were injured after a small plane crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper last Friday.
Light aircraft flights restricted in China after fatal Beijing crash
A damaged section is seen after a small plane crashed into the CITIC Tower in Beijing on June 27 2026. / AP

China has restricted private aviation operators from flying light fixed-wing aircraft after a small plane crashed into Beijing's tallest building last week, the UK-based Financial Times reported on Monday.

The pilot was killed and 13 other people were injured when the aircraft struck CITIC Tower, Beijing's tallest skyscraper, also known as China Zun, on Friday.

Citing three operators of small propeller-driven aircraft and a glider company, the report said they had been grounded following the incident.

It added that skydiving and paragliding services had also been suspended under a nationwide airspace control order covering recreational flights.

No timeline has been announced for the restrictions, the report said.

The aircraft involved in the crash was a domestically produced Sunward SA60L Aurora, a two-seat light sport aircraft.

Videos from the scene showed debris falling from the 528-metre-tall tower after the impact, while the plane's tail section was seen on the ground.

Local authorities in Beijing said an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash.

Aircraft activity in China outside cargo and commercial aviation dropped sharply on Saturday following the incident, the report said, citing flight-tracking service Flightradar24.

Earlier this year, authorities in Beijing introduced new rules banning unmanned aerial vehicle flights across most of the capital.

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SOURCE:Anadolu Agency