An airline official said a small plane trying to land near Mount Everest crashed on Tuesday but there were no casualties. The airplane belonging to Sita Air the German-built Dornier turboprop was attempting to land at Lukla airport when it crashed said the Airline official Binod Singh Basnyat.

"There was damage to the aircraft but all 11 passengers and three crew members were unhurt", he said. An investigating team was heading to Lukla to probe the cause of the crash, he said.

The tiny Lukla airport, little more than a runway carved into the side of the Himalayas at an altitude of 9,200 feet (2,800 meters), is famous among travelers for its dramatic scenery, stomach-lurching landings and occasional crashes. The runway ends in a steep drop.

Lukla is used by thousands of trekkers and mountaineers visiting the area and is closest to Everest. October is a popular month for trekkers as the weather conditions are favorable to the long treks up the mountain. Since there are no roads in the area local residents use the airport to access transportation.