In pictures: Indonesia Hercules crash

Witnesses said the plane burst into flames as it ploughed into homes near the town of Madiun.

Wreckage was strewn over a wide area with little apart from the plane's tail section remaining intact.

Officials said the plane was on a routine training mission when it came down early on Wednesday morning.

Many victims were trapped in the burning wreckage of the plane.

The crash is the latest in a series of disasters to hit Indonesia's military and civilian aviation sectors.