The pilot of a light aircraft that struck the tallest building in Beijing on 26 June had repeatedly written about ending his life and had long suffered from insomnia and anxiety, the city’s Chaoyang district government said on Thursday. The statement, released six days after the crash, identified the pilot as a 66-year-old Beijing resident surnamed Liu, who died at the scene when his two-seat Sunward SA 60L Aurora hit the 528-metre CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, in the central business district. Thirteen people on the ground were injured, none critically, and one has since been discharged from hospital.

According to the authorities, Liu was a divorced freelance worker living alone. He obtained a sport pilot licence in 2021 and a private pilot licence in 2024. On the afternoon of the crash, he took off from a general aviation airport in the suburban Pinggu district, first completing an accompanied flight before embarking on a solo sortie. During that solo flight, he deviated from the designated operating area and lost contact with the airport. “Liu had long-term insomnia and anxiety, and his diary contained repeated references to ‘ending his life’,” the district government’s statement said, concluding that the incident was “a case of endangering public safety caused by personal reasons.”

Flight tracking data reviewed by several outlets indicated that moments before the impact, Liu’s aircraft came perilously close to a Hainan Airlines Airbus A330 on approach to Beijing Capital International Airport. The passenger jet, arriving from Urumqi, was forced to abort its landing and climb rapidly, with the two aircraft passing within an estimated 457 metres—well below standard separation minima. The near-miss, which has not been officially confirmed by aviation authorities, added to the shock of a crash that occurred in one of the world’s most tightly controlled airspaces, roughly seven kilometres from the Zhongnanhai leadership compound.

The incident has drawn attention to gaps in security, as the aircraft managed to enter a zone adjacent to a permanent no-fly area and crossed highly restricted airspace used by commercial traffic. Chinese social media platforms swiftly removed images and discussion of the crash, and police at the scene prevented journalists and bystanders from photographing the damaged tower. The official statement did not address how the plane was able to fly from Pinggu into central Beijing without interception, nor did it detail the specific security protocols that were breached.

The Chaoyang government’s announcement marks the first detailed account of the crash, though it leaves key operational questions unanswered. The investigation is continuing, but the finding of “personal reasons” has shifted the focus away from mechanical failure or external interference. All 13 injured individuals are reported to be out of danger.