Chinese authorities reported Thursday that the pilot who died after crashing his small plane into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, injuring 13 people, had psychological problems and had written about suicidal thoughts in his diary.

The plane, piloted by the 66-year-old man, collided with the 528-meter-tall CITIC Tower in Beijing's central business district.

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The plane crash raised questions about aviation safety in the Chinese capital, which has strict security measures, especially as the CITIC Tower is located about 7 kilometers from Zhongnanhai, the government compound that houses the residences of top Chinese leaders.

Insomnia and Anxiety

Beijing's Chaoyang District government said in a statement that the pilot, surnamed Liu, was divorced and lived alone in Beijing, and had long suffered from insomnia and anxiety. His diary contained frequent references to his desire to end his life. It added: 'It was a public safety incident for personal reasons.' It explained that Liu worked as an independent pilot, obtained a sports pilot license in 2021, and then a private pilot license in 2024. The statement said that on the afternoon of the incident, Liu took off from a general aviation airport on the outskirts of Pinggu District, where he conducted flights under instructor supervision and also solo flights.

During his final solo flight, Liu deviated from the designated area and lost contact with the airport before the crash, according to the statement. He was flying a small two-seat propeller-driven plane. Shortly after the crash, photos and videos of the plane crash were quickly removed from Chinese social media platforms, while police prevented journalists and onlookers from taking pictures of the tower.