The National Transportation Safety Board yesterday issued a preliminary report on the crash of an Island Hoppers Cessna tour airplane that disappeared in a dense Big Island rainforest on June 17 with the pilot and two Japanese tourists.

The report indicated that the weather conditions at the time of takeoff in Kailua, Kona, two hours before the accident offered sufficient visibility.

The report said the plane was "substantially damaged following impact with terrain near Pahala."

The crash generated an island-wide, multi-agency search. The wreckage was located on June 22 in a remote area of the Ka'u Forest reserve at the 5,200-foot elevation.

Killed were pilot Katsuhiro Takahashi, 40; and passengers Nobuhiro Suzuki, 53; and his wife Masako Suzuki, 56; of Japan's Chiba prefecture.

The NTSB cautioned that the report is preliminary and that it is subject to change. The final report on the probable cause of the crash will not be completed for several months.

NTSB investigator Jim Struhsaker yesterday briefed reporters on the status of the investigation. The wreckage was recovered Thursday and placed in a hangar at Hilo airport.