A newlywed pilot who died in a helicopter crash shortly after leaving a wedding reception was worried about foggy weather and low visibility before takeoff, according to his father.Dave Fiji, 25, was one of three people aboard a Robinson R66 helicopter that crashed into a dense wooded area near Dawsonville, Georgia, last week. Dev and pilot Nikhil Nargundkar died in the accident. His bride, Jesni Fiji, was injured and survived.Dave’s father, George Fiji, revealed that his son, who works as a pilot for Delta Air Lines, had been worried about poor weather conditions before the flight. Dave Fiji is a man of Indian origin whose family roots can be traced back to Muvattupuzha in Kerala.“He said I can’t fly, we’re not going to fly in this visibility,” George recalled to WSB-TV.The couple just celebrated what their family calls the perfect wedding. Dave and Jasni met at church more than a decade ago and exchanged vows in front of hundreds of guests.“We can say it was a perfect wedding,” George said. He added: “We can’t ask for more.”His wife, Pheba Fiji, said the ceremony was emotional and spiritual.“Both of them told us that they could feel God’s presence, God’s physical presence at the altar,” she said.She added: “There was a special light and glory in his face that we couldn’t explain. And it wasn’t just us who noticed.”The reception ended around 9.30pm and the newlyweds boarded the helicopter for their planned flight to Peachtree DeKalb Airport. They planned to spend the night at a hotel in downtown Atlanta.George said that before setting off, rain and fog reduced visibility at an alarming rate. Despite Dave’s warning, helicopter pilots said they would fly to higher altitudes and avoid the fog. The plane crashed southwest of Dawsonville shortly after takeoff.Jesni survived the impact but was trapped under debris and fallen trees for about five hours before rescuers found her.“She said when she woke up, she was under the rubble,” George said.George added: “She woke up and saw him lying on her chest. She was a nurse herself. When she touched him she called out to him. He was already cold.”Jesny was taken to hospital where he was treated for cuts and scrapes. She has no broken bones and is expected to be discharged from the hospital within a few days.“She’s devastated, but she’s recovering,” George told News 1 Atlanta.George described Dave as “a precious child” and “God’s gift to us.”Added Dave’s mother, Phiba Fage: “She always said that no one could ever protect himself the way David did. He was kind, he was gentle, he was selfless. Those were her words. We trust God to perfect the work he started in his life.”The helicopter involved in the crash belonged to Prestige Helicopters, a company that provides charter services for weddings and events in the Atlanta area.The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a statement that the helicopter hit a tall tree and crashed to the ground in a densely wooded area. There was no fire following the impact.
