Small plane crashes into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper

On Friday, a small plane took off from Beijing's Shifosi Airport (ZBPG) and crashed into the CITIC Tower, the tallest building in the city, damaging part of the structure and scattering debris onto the streets below.

Videos on social media captured the moment of impact, with pieces of the aircraft falling from the 108-storey tower that houses the state-owned CITIC Group’s headquarters. Photos from the scene showed damage to the building, including two shattered glass panels, and the aircraft’s tail section lying on the ground. A nearby taxi had a smashed window, and the crash sparked a small fire at street level, smoke rising from the spot where debris landed.

The CITIC Tower, which has 108 floors above ground and seven basement levels, is one of Beijing's most recognisable landmarks and can accommodate around 12,000 office workers. According to Reuters, police quickly sealed off roads surrounding the building and restricted access to the area. Witnesses told the news agency that officers prevented people from recording the aftermath and asked some bystanders to delete photographs and videos taken at the scene. The Reuters report also said that images and videos of the crash were removed from Chinese social media platforms, although footage remained available on X.

A closer examination of images circulating online suggested the aircraft was a Sunward SA60L Aurora, a domestically manufactured light sport aircraft roughly the size of a car. The aircraft is produced by a Chinese general aviation company that provides services including pilot training, recreational flying, and aerial photography. Neither the aircraft manufacturer nor the Chinese authorities had issued an official statement on the crash at the time of publication.

The incident comes against the backdrop of tighter airspace controls in Beijing. Since the 1st of May authorities have enforced sweeping restrictions on drones, requiring government approval before residents can buy, rent, or operate unmanned aircraft.

The cause of the crash and whether there are any casualties were not immediately known.

Aircraft Information:

Owner/operator: Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation

Aircraft: Sunward SA 60L Aurora

Registration: B-12PP

Serial Number: SA60LS00313

Engine: 100 hp Rotax 912ULS 4-cylinder

We’re keeping family and friends in our thoughts and prayers through this difficult time.

Strong head winds force a Qantas flight to make an unexpected remote landing

A few days ago, a Qantas flight from London’s Heathrow (LHR/EGLL) to Perth (PER/YPPH) had to make an unscheduled stop in the West Australian mining town of Karratha (KTA/YPKA) after strong headwinds left it without enough fuel to finish the trip in one go.

The 17-hour flight was supposed to land at Perth Airport around midday but ended up diverting to Karratha Airport, touching down at 11:45 a. QF10, a 787 Dreamliner, had to refuel after changing weather conditions along the way, a rare occurrence that happens on long-haul journeys.

The surprise landing comes days after Qantas revealed the timing of its ambitious ultra-long-haul Project Sunrise flights, which will connect Sydney to London on flights that can last 22 hours non-stop. It shows how weather could confront the new service.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner needed more fuel to complete the final two hours of its journey after weather conditions during the flight forced the crew to adjust the flight path, Qantas said. The aircraft spent about one hour on the ground before continuing on to Perth at 12.40pm and touching down in Perth at 2.40pm.

Karratha Airport, mostly used to service the region’s fly-in, fly-out mining workforce, was only approved to accept larger aircraft last month. The location, based in the town that is home to about 25,000 people, became a designated restricted use international airport and alternative international airport.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Qantas

Code: QF/QFA

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9

Registration: VH-ZNA

Serial Number: 39038

First Flew: September 2019

Age: 7.9 Years

Looking back on Air France Flight 296Q

AIR FRANCE AIRBUS A319-211 F-GRHP (MSN 1344)

Air France Flight 296Q was a chartered flight of a brand-new Airbus A320-111 operated by Air Charter International for Air France. On the 26th of June 1988, the plane crashed while making a low-level pass over Mulhouse–Habsheim Airfield as part of the Habsheim Air Show. The newly delivered Airbus was destroyed when it impacted trees during the low pass over the runway. A fire broke out, killing three occupants.

This particular flight was the A320's first passenger flight and most of those on board were journalists and raffle competition winners, having won tickets as part of a promotional event by local businesses. Many, including several unaccompanied children, had never been on an airplane previously. The low-speed flyover, with landing gear down, was supposed to take place at an altitude of 100 feet (30 m); instead, the plane performed the flyover at 30 ft (9 m), skimmed the treetops of the forest at the end of the runway (which had not been shown on the airport map given to the pilots) and crashed. 

All 136 passengers survived the initial impact, but 3 then died of smoke inhalation from the subsequent fire; a quadriplegic boy in seat 4F, a 7-year-old little girl in seat 8C, trapped by her seat being pushed forward and struggling to open the seatbelt, and an adult who, according to her partner, had reached the exit with him but then turned back to try help the 7 year old. (The child had been traveling with her older brother but seated apart; he was swept out by a flow of escapees as he tried to find his sister).

The aircraft first flew on the 6th of January 1988 and was delivered to Air France on the 23rd of June, three days prior to its destruction. It was the third A320 delivered to Air France, the launch customer.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Air France

Code: AF/AFR

Aircraft: Airbus A320-211

Registration: F-GFKC

Serial Number: 009

Engines: CFMI CFM56-5A1

First Flew: 6th January 1988

Age: 6 months

Malaysia Airlines is now a Seven Star PLUS safety rated airline

Malaysia Airlines has earned the coveted Seven Star PLUS safety rating from AirlineRatings.com, joining an exclusive group of top airlines celebrated for outstanding cabin safety and exceptional operational standards.

This positions the airline alongside carriers such as Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Air New Zealand,
STARLUX Airlines, EVA Air, Air Europa, and HK Express (Low-cost carrier) reflecting its strong safety culture and consistently high onboard operational standards.

AirlineRatings.com CEO Sharon Petersen commented on the recognition: "Particularly notable on this audit was the crew's vigilance in keeping passengers seated whenever the seatbelt sign was on. There were long periods when it remained illuminated, and passengers naturally grow restless or feel the need to move. The Malaysia Airlines crew were diligent throughout, ensuring everyone stayed seated until it was safe. Their emergency exit briefing was equally impressive.

Although not part of the audit process, a visit to the airline’s operations afterwards really showcased the impressive efforts they’ve made—especially over the past decade—to address crew resource management, human factors, and fatigue management. I’d say many other airlines could take a from Malaysia Airlines’ playbook in this area.

On the latest recognition, Bryan Foong, Chief Executive Officer of Airline Business from Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company for Malaysia Airlines said, “The Seven Star PLUS recognition is a meaningful affirmation of the strong safety culture we have continuously built across Malaysia Aviation Group over the years. What makes this recognition especially significant is the acknowledgement of the operational discipline, crew professionalism and robust safety practices demonstrated consistently across our operations by our teams. At MAG, safety underpins every aspect of our business and remains a shared responsibility embraced by every employee across the organisation. This recognition reflects the collective commitment of our people and reinforces our focus on continuously strengthening operational resilience, enhancing our capabilities, and maintaining the highest standards of safety and operational excellence for our passengers.”

So, what does Seven Star PLUS actually mean?
Seven-Star PLUS is a safety rating that airlines earn, not something they can buy or simply ask for. To qualify, an airline must already have our top-tier Seven-Star safety rating, and only then can it for the audit that could lead to Seven-Star PLUS recognition.

The airline welcomes auditors on board for an independent, anonymous review of its cabin crew’s safety compliance, observed during regular flight conditions over six separate flights. To earn the Seven Star PLUS title, an airline must meet our strict standards throughout the audit, and not all participants qualify. Airlines needing significant improvements keep their Seven-Star safety rating and can be reassessed within a year after making changes.

The value of these audits sits with the airline and the passenger alike. For the airline, the assessment surfaces genuine cabin crew compliance gaps and helps close them early, before they become incidents or regulator findings. A safety team and a chief financial officer both understand the worth of catching a problem in time, and earning the rating gives the airline a credential that carries weight.

For travelers, Seven Star PLUS is a clear signal worth knowing. It marks an airline that opened its cabin operation to independent scrutiny and met the required standard. We hold Seven Star and Seven Star PLUS airlines in the highest safety regard, but the PLUS adds a mark of verified cabin safety compliance, earned by the airlines that chose to be tested.

Air New Zealand gets stuck in muddy grass

An Air New Zealand flight to Auckland (AKL/NZAA) was grounded in Christchurch (CHC/NZCH) Sunday morning the 21st of June 2026 after the aircraft's main wheels rolled into grass and soft ground near the taxiway.

The A320 should have departed at 5.45am, but it became firmly wedged and was still stuck in Christchurch at 7am, according to flight-tracking data Flight NZ582 had been preparing to depart when the incident occurred, the airline said. Air New Zealand chief safety and risk officer Nathan McGraw said the aircraft's main wheels "came into contact with the grass beside the taxiway" during pushback.

He said all customers had disembarked safely, and the aircraft had remained in place. "Our team is working to put on a new flight to Auckland for impacted customers later this morning," McGraw said.

A passenger told Stuff the captain originally said it would take three tugs to free the aircraft, before updating them just before 7am that they were not going anywhere.

"Will take some serious grunt to pull us free, wheels have sunk," the passenger said. McGraw said staff were working to safely return the aircraft to the gate so bags could be unloaded, and an engineering assessment could be completed.

"We thank everyone onboard for their patience and understanding while we work to get them safely to their destination," he said.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Air New Zealand

Code: NZ/ANZ

Aircraft: Airbus A320-232

Registration: ZK-OJS

Serial Number: 4926

Engines: 2 x IAE V2527-A5

First Flew: 18th November 2011

Age: 14 Years

All FOUR engines have failed

BRITISH AIRWAYS BOEING 787-9 G-ZBKN (MSN 38630)

 

On the 24th of June 1982, British Airways Flight 009, with a callsign of Speedbird 9, was performing a scheduled flight from London Heathrow (LHR/EGLL) to Auckland (AKL/NZAA), with stops in Delhi (DEL/VIDP), Kuala Lumpur (KUL/WMKK) and Perth (PER/YPPH).

During the Kuala Lumpur - Perth sector the aircraft flew into a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung around 110 miles (180 km) south-east of Jakarta, Indonesia, resulting in the failure of all four engines. Partly because the event occurred at night, obscuring the cloud, the reason for the failure was not immediately apparent to the crew or air traffic control. 

Shortly after 13:40 UTC (20:40 Jakarta time) above the Indian Ocean, south of Java, the crew first noticed an unusual effect on the windscreen similar to St. Elmo's fire. Despite the weather radar showing clear skies, the crew switched on engine anti-ice and the passenger seat belt signs as a precaution.

As the flight progressed, smoke began to accumulate in the passenger cabin of the aircraft; it was first assumed to be cigarette smoke. However, it soon began to grow thicker and had an odour of sulphur. Passengers who had a view of the aircraft's engines through the window noted that they were unusually bright blue, with light shining forward through the fan blades and producing a stroboscopic effect.

Around 13:42 UTC (20:42 Jakarta time), the number four Rolls-Royce RB211 engine began surging and soon flamed out. The flight crew immediately performed the engine shutdown drill, quickly cutting off fuel supply and arming the fire extinguishers. Less than a minute later, at 13:43 UTC (20:43 Jakarta time), engine two surged and flamed out. Within seconds, and almost simultaneously, engines one and three flamed out, prompting the flight engineer to exclaim, "I don't believe it—all four engines have failed!"

Without engine thrust, a 747-200 has a glide ratio of roughly 15:1, meaning it can glide forward 15 kilometres for every kilometre it drops. The flight crew quickly determined that the aircraft was capable of gliding for 23 minutes and covering 91 nautical miles (169 km) from its flight level of 37,000 feet (11,000 m).

At 13,500 feet (4,100 m), the crew was approaching the altitude at which they would have to turn over the ocean and attempt a risky ditching. Although the crew had guidelines for the water landing procedure, no one had ever tried it in a Boeing 747. As they performed the engine restart procedure, engine number four finally started, and at 13:56 UTC (20:56 Jakarta time), Moody used its power to reduce the rate of descent. Shortly thereafter, engine three restarted, allowing him to climb slowly. Shortly after that, engines one and two successfully restarted, as well. The crew subsequently requested and expedited an increase in altitude to clear the high mountains of Indonesia.

The aircraft landed safely in Jakarta.

The route was flown by the City of Edinburgh, a Boeing 747-236B registered as G-BDXH. The crew members of the accident segment had boarded the aircraft in Kuala Lumpur, while many of the passengers had been aboard since the flight began in London.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: British Airways

Code: BA/BAW

Aircraft: Boeing 747-236

Registration: G-BDXH

Serial Number: 21635

Engines: 4 x RR RB211-524D4

First Flew: 19/03/1979

Age at incident: 3.3 Years

Looking back on Air India Flight 182

AIR INDIA BOEING 787-8 VT-ANH (MSN 36276)

On the 23rd of June 1985, Air India flight 182 disintegrated in mid-air en route from Montreal-Mirabel International Airport, QC (YMX/CYMX), Canada to London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL), United Kingdom. It was at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9,400 m) over the Atlantic Ocean. The result of the explosion from a bomb being planted by Canadian Sikh terrorists. The remnants of the airliner fell into the ocean approximately 190 kilometres (120 miles) west-southwest of the southwest tip of Ireland, killing all aboard: 329 people, including 268 Canadian citizens, 27 British citizens and 24 Indian citizens. 

The aircraft took off from Montreal at 02:18 UTC. Its estimated time of arrival at London was 08:33 UTC. At 07:15 UTC, at FL310 over the Atlantic Ocean an explosion occurred in the forward cargo compartment, causing a rapid decompression. The aft portion of the aircraft separated from the forward portion before striking the water. The wreckage sank to a depth of 6700 feet.
From the wreckage retrieved no direct evidence was found of an explosive device. However, there is a considerable amount of circumstantial and other evidence that an explosive device caused the occurrence. Furthermore, because an explosive device detonated in Tokyo the same day. Just 55 minutes before Air-India 182 crashed, A bag from CP Air Flight 003 exploded at Tokyo-Narita Airport, just 55 minutes before Air India 182 crashed. This was probably an interlined unaccompanied suitcase to be placed on Air-India Flight 301 to Bangkok.

Investigation determined that a suitcase was also interlined unaccompanied from Vancouver via CP Air Flight 060 to Toronto. In Toronto, there is nothing to suggest that the suitcase was not transferred to Terminal 2 and placed on board Air India Flight 181/182 in accordance with normal practice. The aircraft departed Toronto for Montreal-Mirabel and London with the suitcase unaccompanied.

The bombing of Air India Flight 182 is the largest mass killing in Canadian history, Canada's worst terrorist attack, the deadliest aviation incident in the history of Air India and was the deadliest act of aviation terrorism until the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Air India

Code: AI/AIC

Aircraft: Boeing 747-237B

Registration: VT-EFO

Serial Number: 23634

Engines: 4 x PW JT9D-7A

Delivery Date: 30/06/1978