Former NJ Fire Chief Among Pilots Killed In Haiti Plane Crash

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — One of the pilots who was killed in a plane crash near Haiti earlier this month has been identified as a former fire chief in Sussex County.

Patrick Decker was killed alongside fellow pilot Kory Elleby after their plane went down while delivering relief to Haiti on Feb. 5, officials said. The pair was volunteering with Agape Flights, a Florida-based nonprofit humanitarian organization, when they died.

Agape Flights lost communication with the pilots sometime on Feb. 5, and their plane was found in the mountains of Jérémie, Haiti, the following day, according to the nonprofit. The pilots were the only two souls on board, officials said.

A report from The Haitian Times says that the pilots’ bodies were recovered and sent to their families on Saturday.

Decker, before moving to Florida, was a member of the Sparta Township Fire Department for nearly 50 years. He was the department’s fire chief in 1996 while simultaneously working as a United Airlines pilot.

“God bless (Decker’s) family and friends as well as those of his fellow pilot who was also lost,” a Sparta Fire Department statement read. “We will miss Pat, especially at our summer parades. Godspeed, Chief.”

Decker’s 40-year career with United Airlines was a successful one, according to Agape Flights. He had the privilege of flying alongside his pilot son, and was one of the first United pilots granted clearance to fly after the Sept. 11 attacks.

He began volunteering with Agape Flights nine years ago, with whom he’s flown countless times to deliver relief to people in need across the globe. The nonprofit called him “the kind of man you could always count on.”

“We will miss him more than we can put into words. Patrick lived a life that mattered. Not because of titles or accomplishments, though there were many, but because of the way he showed up for people,” an Agape statement read. “He served faithfully. He loved deeply. He gave generously of his time, his strength, and his heart. And that kind of life leaves a mark that will never fade.”

Agape Flights says that Decker’s co-pilot, Elleby, “possessed a rare gift for making strangers feel like lifelong friends, leaving people everywhere he went feeling encouraged, valued, and truly seen.”

See the nonprofit’s full statement here.

Information regarding the cause of the crash has not yet been released.