Videos widely shared online appeared to capture the shocking moment the aircraft struck the upper section of the skyscraper. Footage showed pieces of wreckage falling from the structure and crashing onto sidewalks and landscaped areas below as stunned onlookers watched from a distance.
One woman who was inside the building at the time told local media she had no choice but to abandon her belongings and flee.
“I ran out without my ID card or bag,” she said.
The woman, identified only by her surname Lin, said employees were evacuated as concerns mounted over possible additional damage or falling debris.
Another witness working in a nearby office building reported hearing what sounded like a powerful explosion shortly before emergency responders arrived.
According to local accounts, the blast occurred around 5:40 p.m. Police quickly established security perimeters around the tower, shutting down nearby roads and pushing pedestrians away from the scene while rescue teams moved into position.
Multiple ambulances and emergency vehicles were seen stationed outside the building throughout the evening.
Images circulating online appeared to identify the aircraft involved as a Sunward SA60L Aurora, a lightweight two-seat aircraft commonly used for recreational flying and pilot training. The aircraft reportedly carried registration number B-12PP.
Flight-tracking information linked the aircraft to China’s Starair Aircraft Co., the manufacturer of the model involved in the crash.
Social media users also pointed to a local aviation company believed to operate the plane. The company reportedly offers private flight instruction, sightseeing experiences, and aircraft management services. Efforts by reporters to reach the business were unsuccessful Friday evening.
As questions mounted, Chinese officials remained notably silent. No formal statement had been issued by authorities several hours after the crash despite widespread public interest and growing international attention.
Adding to the intrigue, numerous videos and posts discussing the incident appeared to disappear rapidly from Chinese social media platforms, fueling speculation and criticism regarding information control inside the communist nation.
The timing of the crash has also raised eyebrows.
Only weeks ago, Beijing implemented strict new regulations governing air activity throughout the city. The rules sharply curtailed recreational aviation and drone operations, requiring government approval before any aircraft could enter designated airspace.
The restrictions also outlawed the transport, sale, rental, and operation of many drone-related products within most areas of the capital. Officials designated Yanqing District as the city’s primary zone for approved low-altitude aviation and drone testing activities.
The Chinese government has spent recent years aggressively promoting what it calls the “low-altitude economy,” a rapidly expanding sector focused on drone technology, logistics operations, aviation services, and emerging transportation systems.
That initiative was elevated further earlier this year when Beijing formally identified the industry as a strategic national priority in its 2026 government work report.
The building struck in Friday’s incident serves as headquarters for the China International Trust and Investment Corporation, one of the country’s largest state-owned enterprises.
Completed in 2018, Citic Tower stands approximately 1,732 feet tall, making it the tallest building in Beijing and one of the most recognizable structures in China’s capital.
As investigators work to determine exactly how a small civilian aircraft managed to collide with one of the nation’s most prominent skyscrapers, many questions remain unanswered. For now, officials continue to secure the area while the public awaits information about casualties, the flight’s origin, and the circumstances that led to one of the most extraordinary aviation incidents Beijing has seen in recent memory.
