Influencer dies when aircraft crashes, erupts into flames during livestream
Influencer Tang Feiji plummeted to his death in an aircraft during a livestream video. He was 55.
The content creator was filming a video to upload to his social media platforms on Saturday when he lost control of his twin-rotor craft and crashed in Jiange County, central China.
In the distressing livestream footage, Feiji — who boasted more than 100,000 followers on the Chinese social media platform Douyin — was seen crashing to the ground shortly after takeoff when his aircraft erupted into flames.
The livestream was being watched by hundreds of people, according to Chinese news website Cover News.
Horrified viewers flooded the comments section with desperate calls to “save him” as others pleaded to “call the emergency services.”
Feiji was not wearing a helmet or a parachute at the time of the fatal crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The crash did not cause any damages to the local area, the outlet added.
Following his untimely death, Feiji’s social media accounts were set to private, meaning only his existing followers are able to access his content.
His death is under investigation.
In the lead-up to his death, the influencer told his followers that he paid about $49,000 for the aircraft, which featured one seat and weighed over 250 pounds, state-run news agency China News Service reported.
The agency added that Feiji said in previous videos that his aircraft could reach an altitude of 2,000 feet and travel at over 60 miles per hour.
After just six hours of practice, the social media star reportedly told fans he felt ready to take to the skies and claimed that he didn’t need to obtain a pilot’s license in order to operate ultralight machines.
Feiji had previously suffered several technical issues with the aircraft, which had subsequently caused two crashes.
Both crashes, which took place last year, saw his aircraft drop less than 30 feet after suffering a fuel gauge malfunction.
