What To Know About The Aurora SA60L, Chinese Plane That Crashed Into Beijing's CITIC Tower

Published 26 June 2026 · india

What To Know About The Aurora SA60L, Chinese Plane That Crashed Into Beijing's CITIC Tower Published By, Last Updated: June 26, 2026, 18:53 IST The

What To Know About The Aurora SA60L, Chinese Plane That Crashed Into Beijing's CITIC Tower Published By, Last Updated: June 26, 2026, 18:53 IST The Sunward SA 60L Aurora light aviation plane crashed into the 1,700-foot-tall CITIC Tower, located in Beijing's financial hub. Rapid Read The Sunward Aurora SA60L light sport plane. Chaos ensued in Beijing’s financial hub as a small plane crashed into the tallest building in the Chinese capital, with dramatic visuals showing debris from the 109-storey-tall skyscraper falling to the ground. The Sunward SA 60L Aurora light aviation plane, one of China’s most successful domestically produced aircraft, crashed into the 1,700-foot-tall CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, with thick smoke coming from the plane’s fragments at the base of the building. Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the crash. The CITIC tower is the headquarters of the state-owned conglomerate CITIC Group, with office spaces on 60 floors, apartments on 20 floors and a hotel with 300 rooms on 20 other floors.

A small plane crashes into a 109-story skyscraper in Beijing, sending debris down the building’s side.Local reports say the pilot Liu Junhua was conducting a solo flight in the local airspace, took off from Shifosi Airport at 17:30, and at 17:40 prepared to return for landing.… pic.twitter.com/drmOgMvQ9E — Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) June 26, 2026 🚨🇨🇳 A small plane just crashed into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper, the 1,732-foot CITIC Tower, leaving a visible hole 109 stories up.The aircraft, a Sunward SA60L “Aurora" light plane, reportedly deviated from its flight path while returning to Shifosi Airport. Debris,… pic.twitter.com/SS2U29IZZU — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) June 26, 2026 What Is The Aurora SA60L? The plane crash has generated significant curiosity, since it took place in one of China’s most fortified cities. It also involves China’s first domestically branded light sport aircraft. The Aurora SA60L is a two-seat, fixed-wing light-sport aircraft developed in China.

The plane, also known as the Sunward SA 60L Aurora, is designed for touring, aerial photography and recreational aviation, featuring an 8.6-metre-long wing and a single engine in tractor configuration. It was originally developed by Sunward Aircraft, a division of the Hunan Science and Technologies Co Ltd. Most of the aircraft is built using carbon-fibre composite materials, making it lightweight while maintaining structural strength. The Civil Aviation Administration of China granted the type design approval in 2013, making it the country’s first domestically branded light sport aircraft. The SA60L accounts for more than 70% of China’s light sports aircraft market and has been exported to Australia and the United States. The plane is known to be easy to operate, with low use and maintenance costs, making it one of the most successful aircraft in China. The SA60L has evolved into several variants, including upgraded models with enhanced avionics and engine options.