( CNN ) -- The eight people on a civilian cargo plane that crashed in the Afghan mountains near Kabul on Tuesday are presumed dead , a spokesman for Afghanistan 's minister of transport said . NATO 's International Security Assistance Force said the crash occurred before 8 p.m. around 25 to 30 kilometers ( 15 to 18 miles ) east of Kabul International Airport . Ros Mohammad , deputy minister of transport , said the crash took place around Mahipar Mountain east of the capital . A source from the Afghan air force said the cargo plane took off from Bagram air base and was landing at Kabul airport , which amounts to a 30- to 45-minute flight . The source was n't authorized to speak about the matter and asked for anonymity . Preston Murray , president of Michigan-based National Air Cargo , said he could not specify the nationalities of those on board , but did not believe any to be American . The plane is owned and operated by Trans Afrique of Ghana , he said . National Air Cargo is a customer , he said . National Air Cargo received reports `` that the plane was on the radar and then it was n't , '' Murray said . An ISAF statement said the plane was not an ISAF aircraft , and Lt. Col. John Dorrian , ISAF spokesman , said the aircraft was from Uganda . `` Early reports indicate the plane is an L-100 Hercules aircraft , the civilian equivalent of a military C-130 , '' the statement said . ISAF said the airport is expected to remain open . Afghan and ISAF service members were conducting the search-and-rescue mission . The incident comes on the same day a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at a NATO helicopter after it landed in Kunar province . That strike killed an Afghan interpreter and wounded eight people -- seven NATO-led service members and an Afghan police officer . There were 26 people on the craft . Earlier this year , 44 people were killed when a plane crashed in the mountainous Kabul region . It had been en route in May from Kunduz to Kabul . The plane was carrying 38 passengers and six crew members when it crashed at 13,500 feet ( 4,100 meters ) . CNN 's Ivan Watson and CNN producer Najibullah Sharifi contributed to this report .
NEW : Eight people on the plane are believed to be killed . U.S. cargo company is investigating the crash . A statement from ISAF says plane was not one of theirs . `` Early reports indicate the plane is an L-100 Hercules , '' ISAF say .