A light sport aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest building on Friday, sending debris falling from the 109-story skyscraper as footage of the incident spread across social media.
CNN described the crash as highly unusual given the Chinese capital's extensive security measures. Videos from the scene showed debris scattered around the building along with the rear section of the aircraft.
A CNN correspondent at the scene reported that the skyscraper was evacuated, with many occupants gathering on nearby streets outside the entrance. Images circulating online, showing the aircraft's registration number, indicate it was a Chinese-made Sunward SA60L Aurora light sport aircraft operated by a local aviation company.
According to flight data from Flightradar24 published online, which has not been independently verified, the aircraft deviated significantly from its flight path before the crash. Reports also noted that since May 1, Beijing residents have been prohibited from buying, renting, or flying drones within the city's jurisdiction without government approval.