A United Parcel Service Inc. cargo plane crashed Sept. 3 after taking off in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, killing two pilots, who were the only passengers on board, the Atlanta-based package delivery company said in a statement.

News reports said that the pilots reported a fire in the cockpit and were ordered back to the airport, but the plane missed its approach and went down in an unpopulated area. No one else was injured when the plane burst into flames upon impact, reports said, citing eyewitnesses of the crash.

UPS said Friday that it could not confirm news reports and was working to determine the cause of the crash.

“This is a terrible tragedy and all of us at UPS extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the ...