Kathmandu , Nepal ( CNN ) -- A plane caught fire and crashed soon after taking off from the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu , killing all 19 people on board , the Himalayan country 's Civil Aviation Authority said Friday . There were 16 passengers and three crew members on the plane when it crashed near the Manohara River in Bhaktapur District , the Civil Aviation Authority said . The river is in the same valley as Kathmandu , . The plane was scheduled to fly from Kathmandu to Lukla , a village in northeastern Nepal that is a popular staging post for people on their way to Mount Everest , the world 's tallest peak . This time of year is the peak season for visitors to the Everest region . The cause of the crash was not immediately clear . The plane was a Dornier aircraft operated by Sita Air .
The crash kills 16 passengers and three crew members . The plane was flying to a village popular with people traveling to Everest . The cause of the crash was not immediately clear .