An LSA-sized aircraft bounced off Beijing’s tallest building on Friday, scattering large pieces of debris in the busy downtown area, killing the pilot and reportedly injuring 13 people who were not in the building that was hit. The plane struck about two-thirds of the way up the 109-storey (1,700 feet) Citic Center, Beijing’s tallest building. The aircraft belongs to Shuangyue General Aviation, a flight training provider located east of the city. The plane is a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, a Chinese-built single with a Rotax 912 and all up weight of 1323 pounds. The aircraft circled the area before hitting the building, which appears to have a few broken windows but no other significant damage.
What’s perhaps most surprising is the aircraft made it to downtown Beijing. Airspace is tightly controlled by the military in China and it’s presumed that those flying light aircraft outside permitted areas will get the military’s attention. There was no evidence of any kind of response to the airspace violation. The fate of the pilot was not confirmed until Sunday and no further details have been released by Chinese authorities.
I appreciate that you note that it “bounced off” versus “crashed into” the building. Yet another non-event that will cause major overreaction with the various regulators.
My first thought is attempted (and successful) suicide by aircraft, particularly considering how regulated Chinese airspace is.
If it was suicide, it was certainly not the first:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Austin_suicide_attack
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jan/06/1
I tend to agree that from one viewpoint these are not serious events in themselves. Even a Dakota filled with supposed fuel drums did not severely damage the building (People are soft however).
still, it seems since 9/11, this idea of ramming a plane into a building has crept into the zeitgeist of pilots wanting to die. It is troubling enough to consider a pilot choosing to kill him/her self via plane, but doing so by intentionally harming others. We’ve seen this exampled even in commercial flights but thankfully not in the extreme of slamming into buildings, still…
it is time we start to see mental health as important as physical health and not denigrate people who seek help. The way the FAA treats it no wonder pilots may hid symptoms of mental distress or instead of seeking professional help, use more damaging cooping methods.
This was a tragic event and I hope it is is not blown up just because “plane hits building”, even in China.
(Aside new item, non-suicide related: Some may know of the story when a B25 hit the Empire State building in 1945. In an example of “they don’t build them like they use too”, the plane hit the building at the 78th floor at 200 mph. yet as reported:
“Despite the massive explosion and severed structural steel columns, the steel framework of the building remained completely intact. The fire was extinguished within 40 minutes. While repairs cost about $1 million, most of the building’s businesses were able to reopen the very next Monday”
Moral of the story, if we stick things high up in the air, eventually one of them may get hit).