Beijing police have identified the owner of a black sedan parked at the airfield from which the aircraft that struck the Citic Tower took off. The car’s registration linked to a logistics firm tied to the jet’s operator, and investigators matched its tire marks to CCTV footage captured on the day of the June 20 crash.

The jet, a private aircraft owned by a Hong Kong‑based investment group, used the same runway after the sedan departed the vicinity. Authorities traced the vehicle’s lease to a subsidiary that provides ground transport for the firm’s executives, prompting a broader probe into whether ground‑support procedures were bypassed during pre‑flight checks and whether any staff were complicit. The review also covers documentation of fuel deliveries.

The findings expose security gaps at municipal airfields and are likely to trigger stricter vetting of vehicles associated with flight operations. Regulators plan to draft new clearance rules within weeks, while the logistics firm faces possible administrative penalties for procedural lapses. Police have concluded the vehicle search, sealing the immediate investigative phase.