190730 Pakistan plane crash
Pakistani soldiers cordon off the site where a Pakistani Army Aviation Corps aircraft crashed in Rawalpindi on July 30, 2019. Image Credit: AFP

A Pakistani military aircraft on a training flight crashed in a built-up area in the city of Rawalpindi, killing all five crew members and 12 civilians, a statement from the army's communications wing said on Tuesday.

Another 12 civilians were injured in the crash which set off a fire in the city. Rescue teams were at the scene and extinguished the fire, the statement said.

"A small plane crashed into a residential area," rescue spokesman Farooq Butt said.

The type of plane was not immediately clear.

In a statement, the military said five soldiers were among those killed in the plane crash.

190730 plane crash
The scene of the plane crash near Rawalpindi. Image Credit: Twitter

The military gave no details about the cause of the crash and only said an army aviation aircraft was on a routine training flight when the plane went down in the village of Mora Kalu on outskirts of Rawalpindi. TV footage showed fire erupting in the residential area.

Butt said a rescue operation was still ongoing. An AP reporter at scene of the crash saw a burning house and some makeshift homes.

Rescue officials say the plane suddenly lost control with the tower and reason for the incident was not known.