NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Atlanta, GA, September 23, 2026: Jesni Sam, who survived a helicopter crash on her wedding night that killed her husband, Dave Fiji, has filed a lawsuit against the North Georgia wedding venue where the couple was married and the company that operated the helicopter, alleging negligence contributed to the fatal crash.
The lawsuit, filed September 22 in DeKalb County, names Prestige Helicopters Inc., The Revere LLC and Revere Group LLC as defendants. Sam filed the suit individually and on behalf of Fiji’s estate. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Sam and Fiji were married May 29 at The Revere, a wedding venue near Dawsonville. After their wedding celebration, the newlyweds boarded a Robinson R66 helicopter operated by Prestige Helicopters for a flight to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. The helicopter crashed in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area about five minutes after takeoff.
Fiji, 25, and pilot Nikhil Nargundkar were killed. Sam survived with serious injuries.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report, the helicopter was substantially damaged when it crashed at approximately 9:50 p.m. The aircraft struck tall trees along rising terrain before coming down in a heavily wooded area.
The NTSB’s preliminary investigation also documented potentially difficult weather conditions around the time of the crash, including rain and fog, a cloud ceiling near 200 feet above ground level and overcast clouds at about 600 feet. An aviation weather advisory also indicated the presence of embedded thunderstorms in the region.
The lawsuit alleges that the flight should not have proceeded under the weather conditions that existed that night.
It alleges that Nargundkar failed to adequately monitor and assess the weather before departure and failed to abort the flight despite low clouds, reduced visibility and rain. Nargundkar is not named as a defendant. The lawsuit alleges Prestige Helicopters is responsible for the actions of its employee and also accuses the company of inadequate pilot training and supervision and of failing to establish sufficient procedures for canceling flights during unsafe weather.
The lawsuit also alleges that The Revere and Revere Group offered and arranged the helicopter send-off but failed to establish adequate procedures allowing employees to postpone or cancel such flights when weather conditions deteriorated. It further alleges the venue failed to adequately warn the couple about the potential hazards of proceeding with the flight.
Neither The Revere nor Prestige Helicopters had responded to media requests for comment on the lawsuit as of Tuesday, according to published reports.
The lawsuit also provides additional details about Sam’s ordeal after the crash. Dawson County records previously obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution show authorities received a 911 call reporting a possible helicopter crash around 10:10 p.m. A drone later detected possible heat signatures in the area, and deputies searching the woods heard a woman calling for help. Sam was freed from the wreckage shortly before 3 a.m. the following morning.
The complaint says Sam suffered multiple physical injuries and permanent scarring as well as continuing psychological effects following the crash. She is seeking damages for medical and rehabilitation expenses, pain and suffering and other losses. Fiji’s estate is also seeking wrongful-death-related damages. The lawsuit does not specify a dollar amount and asks a jury to determine damages.
Sam is represented by Kansas City-based aviation law firm Robb & Robb. Attorney Andrew Robb said the lawsuit seeks “answers and accountability” for Sam and her husband. The firm previously represented Vanessa Bryant in litigation related to the 2020 helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and their daughter Gianna.
Fiji was himself a professional pilot. He had worked as a first officer with Endeavor Air, a Delta Air Lines subsidiary, since March 2025 and had previously been a flight instructor after graduating from Middle Georgia State University in 2023.
The NTSB investigation remains underway. The agency’s preliminary report did not determine the cause of the crash, and a final report establishing probable cause has not yet been released.
