On May 30, 2024, a Robinson R66 helicopter carrying newlyweds Dave Fiji and Jesni Sam skidded into a wooded ravine near Peachtree‑DeKalb Airport, killing both occupants and leaving Sam trapped for nearly six hours—
A 9:30 p.m. reception at The Revere, a Dawsonville wedding venue, was followed by a planned "helicopter send‑off" that took off amidst rapidly deteriorating visibility and rain, according to the lawsuit filed by Sam's legal team. The crash struck tall trees before colliding with terrain, and rescue crews reached the wreckage just before 3 a.m. on May 31, 2024, after Sam endured a harrowing ordeal inside the fuselage.
Sam sustained multiple fractures and a severe head injury, while the pilot, Nikil Nargundkar, died on impact. The lawsuit alleges that Prestige Helicopters failed to assess worsening weather conditions and that the flight should have been postponed, citing a warning from Dave Fiji that the helicopter "would not fly" in the prevailing visibility.
Robb & Robb LLC, representing Sam, argues that the venue and operator retained control over the flight schedule and that their negligence contributed to the fatal outcome. The case will be docketed in Gwinnett County Superior Court, where a hearing is expected in early October, and could influence regulations surrounding event‑driven charter operations.
The lawsuit also claims that the pilot’s decision to fly at a higher altitude, despite rain, violated standard operating procedures, and seeks damages for both Sam’s injuries and the loss of Fiji’s life. The filing underscores the growing scrutiny of safety protocols in the burgeoning wedding‑charter industry in the United States.