BEIJING: China has grounded flights of private light fixed-wing aircraft after a plane crashed into Beijing's tallest building last week, the Financial Times reported on Monday (June 29), citing operators around the country.
The sole pilot on board the twin-seat aircraft was killed during the incident on Friday, which injured 13 people who weren't on board, local government said on Saturday. The aircraft crashed into a 528-metre-high (1,732- foot) building, known as CITIC Tower or China Zun, in Beijing's central business district during the evening rush hour.
A nationwide airspace control order covering recreational flights has been issued, with all relevant flying activities banned, the FT reported.
The restrictions have not been announced publicly. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The Civil Aviation Administration of China did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Authorities are investigating the incident and have given no details on the possible cause of the crash.
China's skies are among the most tightly controlled in the world, with the military retaining primary authority over airspace access and allocation.
Beijing is among the most sensitive parts of that management framework. There is a permanent no-fly zone of roughly 100sq km over the political and ceremonial core of the Chinese capital, according to a Reuters review of official aviation navigation rules. - Reuters
