The plane, operated by small regional airline Noar, plunged into scrubland near a highway after taking off at 6:51 a.m. local time (0951 GMT) for its planned journey to another northeastern city, Natal.
Television images showed the body of the plane smashed into small pieces of debris with only the tail section remaining partly intact.
According to a statement from Brazil`s Air Force, the pilot reported mechanical problems shortly after take-off and tried to make an emergency landing on a beach. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
