MEEKER, Colo. (AP) - Federal aviation investigators are looking into the crash last week of a helicopter during a deer-netting operation for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

The National Transportation Safety Board says the pilot and a passenger suffered minor injuries in the crash near Meeker on March 8. Another passenger wasn’t hurt.

An NTSB preliminary report released Monday says the tail boom of the Hughes 369D helicopter separated from the fuselage in flight.

The report says the helicopter suffered substantial damage.

Division of Wildlife spokesman Randy Hampton says the helicopter and crew were under contract to the division to capture deer, assess their condition and attach radio collars. The work was being done for a study on the impacts of oil and gas exploration on wildlife.

No state employees were aboard.

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