A small plane struck a bird and crashed shortly after take-off from the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu on Friday (September 28), killing 19 people, including seven British and five Chinese passengers, officials said.br br The crash of the propeller-driven Dornier aircraft was the sixth fatal air accident in less than two years in Nepal, where more than a dozen small private carriers often brave bad weather to fly to mountain areas not well served by road.br br Many of those who died were trekkers. Tourism officials said the latest accident could deter foreign tourists from embarking on treks in Nepal.br br The Dornier, one of three such planes operated by private firm Sita Air, was bound on a clear morning for Lukla - a gateway to Mount Everest.