A Russian passenger plane has crashed near Moscow just minutes after takeoff, killing all 71 people on board.<br />Wreckage from the ill-fated plane has been found across a snow-covered field nearby the airport from which it took off.<br />Ro Aram reports. <br /> <br /> The short haul AN-148 operated by Saratov Airlines took off for the city of Orsk on Sunday.<br />It was carrying 65 passengers and six crew members before it disappeared from radar just minutes after departing from Domodedovo Airport.<br />Eye witnesses described the plane being on fire as it went down.<br /> Pieces of wreckage and bodies were found spread across a snow-filled Ramenskoye area, about 40 kilometers from the airport.<br />Emergency workers combed through the field while investigators are scouring the airport to search for clues to what brought the jet down. <br />One of the flight recorders was said to have been recovered and Russian officials have denied reports that the pilot reported a malfunction. <br /> Among the possible causes they listed were weather conditions, human error and the plane's technical condition. <br />Moderate snow was falling in much of Moscow at the time of the crash. <br />The airline told state media that the plane was being flown by an experienced pilot with five thousand hours of flight time.<br />State news agency Tass said the plane, which had been flying since 2010, was out of service for two years because of a shortage of parts, but was put back in to service this month. <br /> President Putin expressed his condolences to the victims' families and put off a planned trip to Sochi to monitor the investigation.<br />Ro Aram, Arirang News. <br />
