Flight Instructor Jumps to Death Mid-Lesson, Student Pilots Plane Alone in Argentina

A tragic incident occurred during a flight lesson in the Córdoba province of Argentina when flight instructor Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, jumped from a Cessna 150 aircraft without a parachute, leaving his 22-year-old student, Rosario, to land the plane alone. The event took place near Toledo while flying with the Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school. According to Rosario's testimony, Bertazzo told her, "You know what you need to do, keep going," before removing his headset, setting aside his phone, unbuckling his seatbelt, opening the aircraft door, and jumping to his death.

Despite being in shock, Rosario managed to maintain control of the plane and safely land it. She promptly informed the flight school and authorities, providing the location where she saw Bertazzo fall. A search was conducted, and his body was found at the scene, with death confirmed on site. The aircraft sustained no damage.

Eduardo Álvarez, director of the flight school, stated there were no prior signs of Bertazzo's intentions and noted he had flown with another student earlier that day. Álvarez described the act of opening a light aircraft door mid-flight as extremely difficult, comparing it to opening a car door at 200 km/h. The Argentine prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the death, with no formal complaints filed yet.

Bertazzo's father revealed his son had been struggling mentally and sought psychiatric help. Bertazzo was an experienced instructor who also worked in Chile. The flight school praised Rosario for her composure and skill in handling the emergency, highlighting the extraordinary nature of her solo landing. The incident raises difficult questions but underscores the student's remarkable presence of mind in a life-threatening situation. Support resources for mental health crises were also noted in the report.