Factbox-Small aircraft crashes in Beijing over past 20 years

BEIJING, June 27 (Reuters) – An aircraft about the size of a car flew into the tallest building in Beijing on Friday, said witnesses who saw the rare crash in China’s capital, where airspace is heavily controlled.

Below is a list of some crashes involving small aircraft or helicopters in Beijing over the past 20 years, based on aviation authority and Chinese state media reports.  

• July 6, 2022 – a tourist helicopter crashed during a flight between Beijing’s Changping and Fangshan districts, killing two pilots on board.

• July 30, 2018 – a civil helicopter crashed into a parking lot in a village in Beijing’s Chaoyang district due to pilot error, injuring four people on board.

• June 6, 2015 – Two people were killed after a small training helicopter crashed into Miyun Reservoir.

• April 10, 2014 – A small training aircraft crashed into a river near Miyun Reservoir in Beijing, killing one pilot and injuring the other.

• August 17, 2011 – A police helicopter crashed into Miyun Reservoir while returning from a search-and-rescue drill, killing four of the five crew members.

• July 12, 2008 – A helicopter crashed and caught fire in the remote Pinggu district after hitting a high-voltage power line while pesticide spraying, killing the pilot.

(Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Alexander Smith)