GUATEMALA CITY -- Ten people died, including five US citizens, and four others were injured Sunday when a propeller aircraft crashed into a hill near El Puente, in eastern Guatemala, officials said.

"The accident happened on a hill near this village when the TG-JES flight crashed for unknown reasons. According to preliminary information at least 14 people were aboard," said Volunteer Fire Department spokesman Carlos Salazar.

Nine Americans and five Guatemalans were traveling aboard the aircraft, said Civil Aeronautics Agency director Juan Jose Carlos.

Five of the fatalities were US citizens, the other five were Guatemalans, including the pilot and co-pilot, he added.

The four survivors, presumably all Americans, were flown to Guatemala City hospitals, Salazar said, adding that at the moment it was not possible to identify them.

The aircraft, belonging to Aeroruta Maya company, was flying from the Guatemala City suburb of La Aurora to El Estor, in northern Izabal department, when it crashed near El Puente, in eastern Zacapa department.

Salazar said that the aircraft slammed into a hill near the village and burst into flames.

Rescue crews were having difficulty reaching the accident site because of the lack of roads, he added.

A preliminary report by the Civil Aeronautics Agency said the pilot reported some mechanical failure before radio contact broke off at 1540 GMT.