Video | Plane crashes into housing complex in Pakistan

At least one person on the ground was injured, but the Russian-made plane missed several densely populated apartment blocks by a few hundred yards.

About 20 houses were damaged or destroyed though most were under construction and believed to be unoccupied, locals said.

The Sudan-bound plane crashed around early Saturday morning, when many people in the upscale neighbourhood of Pakistan's largest city were asleep.

One of the plane's engines was on fire when it flew overhead, several witnesses said.

"I live nearby here, and one plane took off from the airport and the right side of this plane was already on fire. When the plane crashed in this area, there was a big explosion and a whole side of the plane was on fire," said a local resident, Nabil Ahmed