A passenger jet caught fire after overshooting its landing sending it crashing through a fence at an airport in Russia, injuring 18 people.

Key points: According to state media the flight had took two attempts to land

According to state media the flight had took two attempts to land Utair spokesman says flight crashed on second attempt

Utair spokesman says flight crashed on second attempt One airport employee died from a heart attack while responding to the crash

Dramatic footage showed the Utair-operated Boeing 737-800 engulfed in flames on the tarmac at Sochi airport early on Saturday morning (local time).

According to state broadcaster Russia Today, the flight from Moscow took two attempts to land in Sochi due to poor weather conditions.

An Utair spokesman told local media the plane crashed through the fence on the second attempt.

The crashed plane was a Utair-operated Boeing 737-800. ( Supplied: Utair )

He said it then fell into a riverbed, destroying a wheel stand, one of its wings and sparked a fire on the plane's left engine.

Russia's Health Ministry said 18 people were injured in the incident, including three children.

Early reports said six people were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning, and four were treated for burns.

Russia Today reported that although there were no deaths from the fire, one Sochi airport employee died of a heart attack while responding to the incident.

The plane's 164 passengers and six crew members were all evacuated.

Three children were among the 18 people injured in the incident. ( Reuters )

ABC/Reuters