DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — The National Transportation and Safety Board released preliminary findings on a fatal helicopter crash in Georgia that killed a groom on his wedding day and seriously injured the bride.
The helicopter took off that Friday leaving the couple’s wedding when it crashed into a remoted wooded area in Dawson County, near Mt. Vernon Drive.
Channel 2 action News reported when the helicopter crashed in Dawsonville, Ga., killing the pilot of the helicopter, Nikhil Nargundkar, and newlywed Dave Fiji. Fiji’s wife Jessni was seriously injured in the crash.
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Jessni was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for treatment of extensive cuts and bruises, but fortunately did not have any broken bones from the crash, according to the groom’s parents.
Fiji’s parents told Channel 2 Action News that Jessni was trapped under the wreckage and trees for five hours before being rescued.
Fiji was only 25.
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The newly-released preliminary report from NTSB says the flight that killed Fiji and Nargundkar was unscheduled and no flight plan was filed.
An examination of the helicopter at a secure facility did not find any preimpact anomalies that would have contributed to the crash, according to NTSB.
Nargundkar was also graded satisfactory for all maneuvers in both a Robinson R66 helicopter and a Robinson R44, like the one involved in the crash.
NTSB said weather data provided by the National Weather Service for the date of the crash included a SIGMET advisory for an area of embedded thunderstorms near where the helicopter crashed.
The copter was also flying near an area it was raining at the time.
“Modeling of weather near the accident site indicated the potential for light wind, a cloud ceiling near 200 ft above ground level (agl), and overcast clouds at 600 ft agl with rain and fog. A review of the National Weather Service (NWS) imagery showed the helicopter near an area of moderate rain at the time of the accident,” NTSB reported.
NTSB also said there was an AIRMET advisory for flight conditions indicating mountain obscuration in the area of the flight and subsequent crash.
The report released Wednesday is preliminary and the investigation remains open.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB for more information.
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