Social media influencer Tang Feiji tragically lost his life in a twin-rotor aircraft crash during a livestream video. The 55-year-old content creator was filming a video for his followers on Saturday when he lost control of his aircraft in Jiange County, located in central China. The distressing footage, which was being watched by hundreds of people, showed Feiji’s aircraft bursting into flames and crashing to the ground shortly after takeoff.
Feiji, who had amassed over 100,000 followers on the Chinese social media platform Douyin, was not wearing a helmet or a parachute at the time of the crash. The livestream viewers expressed their horror in the comments section, with many pleading for someone to call emergency services. Unfortunately, Feiji was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash did not cause any damage to the surrounding area.
Following the tragic incident, Feiji’s social media accounts were set to private, restricting access to his content to only his existing followers. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation.
In the days leading up to the fatal crash, Feiji had shared with his followers that he had purchased the aircraft for approximately $49,000. The aircraft, which weighed over 250 pounds and had a single seat, was reported by the state-run China News Service. Feiji had also claimed in previous videos that his aircraft could reach an altitude of 2,000 feet and travel at speeds exceeding 60 miles per hour.
Despite having only six hours of practice, Feiji had expressed confidence in his ability to operate the ultralight machine. He had also claimed that he did not need a pilot’s license to operate such aircraft.
Feiji had previously experienced several technical issues with the aircraft, which had resulted in two crashes last year. In both instances, his aircraft fell less than 30 feet due to a fuel gauge malfunction.