It has been around since the early 1970s and is most commonly used by companies transporting executives on journeys of around 700 miles.

BBC Scotland's Science Correspondent Kenneth Macdonald looks at what might have caused the crash

The tragedy involving the 404 near Glasgow Airport is the second in three days. Ten American tourists and two crewmen died on Wednesday when their Cessna 404 crashed into a mountain ravine in Tanzania.

However, unlike the Glasgow crash which occurred on take-off in fine weather, the African accident happened during hazardous flying conditions.

Airline workers on board

Aberdeen-based aviation journalist Jim Ferguson said: "The Cessna 404 tends to be used by companies taking personnel from A to B.

"It is of no surprise to learn that the Cessna 404 was carrying airline crew members to their next scheduled flight.

Aviation journalist Jim Ferguson: "The Cessna 404 is a smooth flying and popular aircraft"

"In this instance it makes sense to charter a craft for a 40 minute flight instead of hiring a coach for a journey which would take three hours by road.

"The latest trend for executive travel is the jet plane but the Cessna twin-engined remains popular."

Thousands of Cessna 404 and the similar Cessna 402 are in service throughout the world and hundreds are used in the UK.

It is believed the aircraft, which is thought to be around 20 years old, would not have required a black box recorder.

Jim Ferguson: "There was probably no black box"

Mr Ferguson said: "Legal requirements are laid down as to when an aeroplane has to be fitted with a black box. In this case the 404's specifications would probably not have required the black box.

"Having said that there is nothing to stop a black box being fitted into these small aircraft."

On the safety front, Mr Ferguson said it appeared the plane had a good record but there had been crashes in the past, most recently in Tanzania.

The plane involved had apparently hit a tree and then slammed into a ravine along the mountainside, rescue officials said.

Margaret Munyagi of the Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority, which is participating in the crash investigation, said it appeared the plane was flying too low.

Pilot error

Kieron Daly, editor of the Internet service of Air Transport Intelligence, said the majority of accidents involving the Cessna make were the result of pilot error.

The Cessna 404 can be closely compared with the Cessna 402. They look the same but the 404 can carry 11 passengers as opposed to the 402's nine and it has a more powerful engine.

The reason for the Glasgow accident, which occurred in daylight and in fine weather, will not be known until a full investigation by the Air Accident Investigations Branch.

The Civil Aviation Authority will be called in if the investigation finds technical problems caused the crash.