A small plane crashed into a Beijing high-rise, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people, prompting an investigation.

The cause of the damage could not be independently verified, and authorities did not immediately issue a statement on the incident.

Beijing's airspace is regulated by some of the strictest security measures in the world.

A car-sized aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, the 108-storey CITIC Tower, on Friday, according to two bystanders cited by Reuters.