Beijing says plane crash into skyscraper was caused by 'personal reasons'
Authorities said the 66-year-old pilot had long suffered anxiety and wrote about ending his life, prompting a nationwide flight training suspension.
- On Friday, a pilot crashed a light aircraft into the CITIC Tower in Beijing's Central Business District, authorities confirmed on Thursday, injuring 13 people and creating a hole in the 1,732-foot skyscraper.
- Officials in Chaoyang identified the pilot as 66-year-old Beijing resident surnamed Liu, who had 'long suffered from insomnia and anxiety' and wrote about 'ending his life' in his diary, the district government said.
- Liu flew an Aurora SA60L aircraft into the Central Business District tower located 4.3 miles from Zhongnanhai after he 'deviated from the designated area and lost contact with the airport' during his solo flight.
- Officials described the crash as an incident 'endangering public safety caused by personal reasons,' prompting China to suspend flight training nationwide following the incident.
- The crash has raised questions about aviation safety in tightly secured Beijing, with the CITIC Tower situated 4.3 miles from Zhongnanhai, the government compound housing top Chinese leaders.
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Pilot who hit Beijing's tallest tower wrote about 'ending his life', officials say
The pilot who flew a small plane into Beijing's tallest building wrote in his diary about “ending his life”, Chinese authorities said Thursday, aiming to end speculation swirling around an incident that raised concerns about aviation security in China's capital.
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der Standard DEPublicly, after the fatal impact in the 528-meter-high Citic Tower, China gave itself long word-karg. But the nervousness seems to be high
Pilot Who Crashed Plane Into Beijing Building Wrote About Suicide In Diary
The pilot -- surnamed Liu -- was divorced, lived alone in Beijing and "had long suffered from insomnia and anxiety, and his diary contained multiple references to 'ending his life'", the capital's Chaoyang district government said in a statement.
Beijing breaks silence on high-rise crash
BEIJING - The pilot killed when a plane crashed into Beijing’s tallest building last Friday was a 66-year-old man surnamed Liu, the Chaoyang district government said on Thursday, as officials seek to end speculation about the incident.
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