Aviation Company Owner Survives Helicopter Crash in Fort Myers

Aviation Company Owner Survives Helicopter Crash in Fort Myers

The Associated Press
January 24, 2003

The owner of a flight school where two of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists trained survived a helicopter crash early Friday when another pilot rescued him from a river.

Rudi Dekkers, 48, of Bonita Springs, owner of Huffman Aviation of Venice and president of Dekkers Aviation Group, was in a helicopter on his way to work when it flipped over and crashed into the Caloosahatchee River near downtown Fort Myers at 7:25 a.m., Fort Myers Police spokeswoman Kara Winton said. Another helicopter, flown by Tony Douangdara, 35, spotted the downed chopper. Douangdara's helicopter has WINK-TV markings on it but he wasn't working for the station at the time.

Dekkers climbed on part of the helicopter that hadn't yet submerged. Dekkers grabbed the landing runners on Douangdara's helicopter and was pulled him from the river.

After Douangdara dropped Dekkers off at a nearby home, Dekkers went into the pool to wash off the fuel that was stinging his skin.

Dekkers was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital but his condition was not serious, Winton said.

An employee a Huffman Aviation said she talked to Dekkers but declined comment Friday.

Two of the 2001 hijackers, Mohamed Atta and Marwan Al-Shehhi, took flight lessons at Huffman Aviation in Venice, 70 miles south of Tampa. They obtained multiengine commercial licenses on Dec. 21, 2000.

Dekkers was charged this month with felony fraud for failing to repay a $200,000 loan. He has denied criminal wrongdoing.

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