The Boeing 747 TC-MCL aircraft crashed as it was landing amid fog at Manas airport, about 25km (15 miles) north of the capital, Bishkek.
At least 15 buildings were destroyed and a number of children were reported to be among the dead.
One witness told AFP news agency: "The plane crashed into the houses. It killed entire families. There's nothing left of the houses. Many people were sleeping'', BBC reports.
Flight TK6491 was to have stopped at Manas en route to Istanbul in Turkey.