Citic Tower plane crash pilot ‘suffered from anxiety’

The pilot of a small plane that crashed into Beijing’s tallest building last week had long suffered from anxiety and discussed “ending his life” in his diary, authorities in the Chinese capital said on Thursday.

In a brief summary of an investigation, the Chaoyang district government said the pilot was a 66-year-old Beijing resident, identified only by his surname Liu.

The authorities said Liu, a freelance worker who was divorced and lived alone, obtained a sport pilot licence in 2021 and a private pilot licence in 2024.

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He took off in an Aurora SA60L, a single-engine, two-seat light-sport aircraft, from a general aviation airport in the eastern district of Pinggu in the afternoon.