The plane hit the ground just after it took off from southeastern Moscow's Domodedovo Airport at 04.16 (0016 GMT), Itar-Tass news agency said, quoting a spokesperson of the Emergencies Ministry.

The An-12 cargo plane of the Atran Company, with five crewmen and three passengers onboard, crashed four km away from the runway and caught fire, said spokesperson Viktor Beltsov.

The Domodedovo Airport was operating normally after the crash. All planes took off and landed according to schedule.