An aviation social media personality tragically passed away in front of over 1,000 followers when his ultralight aircraft crashed and caught fire during a live broadcast. Tang Feiji was streaming live when his dual-rotor aircraft suddenly veered sharply and crashed in Jiange County, central China, on the weekend. Viewers witnessing the incident pleaded frantically in the chat for emergency assistance, but unfortunately, Tang, aged 55, succumbed to his injuries at the crash site.
Tang, known for his aerial content, had a significant online presence in Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province, with approximately 100,000 followers on the Chinese platform Douyin. Prior to the fatal accident, he had briefly landed to adjust his camera before taking off again swiftly. Notably, he was not wearing a helmet or parachute during the flight.
Following the tragedy, Tang’s livestream account has been set to private, limiting access to his previous content to existing followers only. Authorities in China are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the influencer’s untimely death. Reports indicate that Tang had experienced two previous crashes linked to technical issues like a malfunctioning fuel gauge. He had acquired the aircraft for an estimated £36,500 (CNY 350,000) last year.
Despite his belief that a pilot’s license was unnecessary for operating ultralight aircraft, industry experts emphasize the mandatory requirement for a license when flying any low-altitude aircraft.