Authorities in Beijing identify the person as a 66-year-old resident of the Chinese capital with a private pilot licence
In a brief summary of an investigation, the Chaoyang district government said the pilot was a 66-year-old Beijing resident, identified only by his surname Liu.
The authorities said Liu, a freelance worker who was divorced and lived alone, obtained a sport pilot licence in 2021 and a private pilot licence in 2024.
He took off in an Aurora SA60L, a single-engine, two-seat light-sport aircraft, from a general aviation airport in the eastern district of Pinggu in the afternoon.