Kathmandu - One person was killed and five injured in a helicopter crash in a remote part of western Nepal on Sunday, media reports said.

The Russian-built Mi-8 helicopter belonging to domestic carrier Manang Air crashed in Humla district, about 500 kilometres north-west of the capital Kathmandu, the independent Kantipur Television said.

The report said a Russian flight engineer was killed and another Russian pilot was among the injured.

Witnesses told the channel that the crash occurred after the helicopter's rear rotor struck a tree.

The injured were airlifted to hospital.

The helicopter had been carrying a cargo of grain to Humla, which is not accessible by road.

Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters are used extensively by private airlines in Nepal because of their ability to carry heavy cargo and passengers to high altitude areas across the Himalayan nation.

However, there have been several accidents with high fatalities involving these aircraft. In March 2008, 10 people were killed when a Mi-17 helicopter belonging to the United Nations crashed in central Nepal.