An aviation enthusiast tragically lost his life in front of a large audience of over 1,000 followers when his ultralight aircraft crashed and caught fire during a live stream event.
The incident occurred in Jiange County, central China, as Tang Feiji was live streaming his flight on Saturday. Viewers watched in horror as his twin-rotor craft suddenly took a sharp turn and plunged to the ground. Despite viewers’ frantic pleas for help in the chat, Tang, aged 55, succumbed to the impact and was declared deceased at the crash site.
Known for his frequent flying content, Tang had a significant online presence in Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province, with approximately 100,000 followers on the Chinese social media platform Douyin. Just before the fatal crash, he had briefly landed to adjust his camera before taking off again, without wearing any safety gear like a helmet or parachute.
Following his tragic death, Tang’s livestream account has been made private, limiting access to his previous content to existing followers only. Chinese authorities are conducting investigations into the circumstances surrounding Tang’s demise.
Reports indicate that Tang had experienced previous crashes attributed to technical malfunctions, such as a faulty fuel gauge. He had purchased the aircraft for an estimated £36,500 (CNY 350,000) the previous year, believing that a pilot’s license was unnecessary for operating such ultralight aircraft. However, aviation experts emphasize the importance of having a license when flying any type of low-altitude aircraft.