Authorities say man who flew plane into Beijing skyscraper previously expressed suicidal thoughts

The Citic Tower in Beijing, China, showing damage after it was struck by a small aircraft on June 26. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

A man who flew his plane into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper last week was a 66-year-old local resident who had expressed suicidal thoughts, Chinese authorities said Thursday, amid intense speculation about the pilot’s identity and motivation.

The crash took place on Friday evening when a small plane appeared to evade some of the world’s strictest aviation controls and slam into the 109-story CITIC Tower that dominates the capital’s skyline, killing the pilot and injuring 13 other people.

The incident was strictly censored in China and it took nearly a day for authorities to acknowledge the crash.

On Thursday, authorities released new details about who was flying the plane.

The pilot, who was only identified by his surname Liu, took off from a general aviation airport in northeastern Beijing on Friday afternoon, initially flying with a companion in the two-seater Sunward SA60L Aurora, a domestically manufactured aircraft, according to a statement from the city’s Chaoyang District government.

Liu, who obtained his first pilot license in 2021, then flew solo and deviated from the designated flight path, losing contact with the airport before hitting the 528-meter (1,732-foot) CITIC Tower in the capital’s Central Business District, home to major companies and foreign embassies.

Citing multiple references in his diary to “ending (his) life,” officials said Liu was a self-employed divorcé who lived alone and suffered from chronic insomnia and anxiety. Investigators have concluded that the incident was a case of endangering public safety caused by personal reasons, according to the statement.

None of the 13 injured people suffered life-threatening condition, with one already discharged from the hospital, the statement added.

The shocking crash on Friday sent shards of glass and aircraft debris plummeting hundreds of feet down to the streets below as office workers left for the weekend, causing panic in the heart of one of the world’s most fortified cities and raising questions about Beijing’s air defense systems.

A short while later, it was like nothing had happened.

All references to the incident – and the shocking footage of it – were swiftly scrubbed from Chinese social media. State media – including the country’s national broadcaster CCTV, headquartered across the road from the crash site – initially made no mention of the incident.

Steven Jiang, CNN

If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with mental illness, here are some resources that are available.

Canada Suicide Crisis Helpline (Call or text 988 or visit 988.ca)

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1-800-463-2338)

Kids Help Phone [phone])

If you need immediate assistance call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.