22-year-old student pilot lands plane alone after instructor exits aircraft mid-flight in Argentina
A 22-year-old student pilot was forced to land a light aircraft on her own after her flight instructor jumped from the plane while it was flying over central Argentina.
Despite being left in shock, she managed to maintain control of the aircraft, alert those on the ground, and return safely to the airfield.
Instructor jumps from aircraft about 250m above ground
The incident occurred on 4 July over the rural area of Toledo in Argentina’s Córdoba province.
Flight instructor Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, was conducting a training flight with a student identified in some reports as Rosario.
Source: Leandro Bertazzo via CNN
The pair had taken off from Coronel Olmedo airfield in a Cessna 150.
Ms Rosario already held a pilot’s licence but was still completing the required flying hours under an instructor’s supervision.
Source: La Nación
According to her account, Mr Bertazzo told her to remain on course and said:
You know what you have to do.
Some reports translated the rest of his instruction as “carry on” or “keep going forward”.
He then removed his headset, put away his belongings, unfastened his seat belt, opened the aircraft door, and jumped from the plane.
At the time, the aircraft was flying at an altitude of about 250 metres.
Ms Rosario contacted those on the ground and landed safely without suffering any injuries or damaging the aircraft.
Source: Clarín
Search teams find instructor’s body in a field
After Ms Rosario landed and indicated where she had seen Mr Bertazzo fall, his colleagues and rural police began searching the surrounding area.
His body was found in a field, with some reports stating that searchers located him within about 15 minutes.
Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
Mr Bertazzo had worked at Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school for four years and had also gained professional experience in Chile.
A commercial pilot, he had reportedly applied for a position with a private airline.
His colleagues described him as experienced, professional, and good-humoured.
The school’s director, Eduardo Álvarez, said Mr Bertazzo had nearly a decade of aviation training and experience and had become a trusted source of guidance for newer students.
Mr Álvarez also praised Ms Rosario’s response, saying she remained composed and acted professionally despite the distressing circumstances.
Colleagues reportedly noticed no warning signs
According to Mr Álvarez, Mr Bertazzo appeared cheerful when he arrived at the flight school that day and interacted with colleagues as usual.
The only detail that stood out was that he had asked a student to collect him from the home he shared with his parents instead of driving himself.
He had also completed an earlier flight that Saturday with a colleague undergoing refresher training, with no reported issues.
“We didn’t notice anything unusual, nothing that could have suggested this outcome,” Mr Álvarez told La Nación.
Father said instructor had been going through a difficult time
After Mr Bertazzo’s parents were informed of his death, his father reportedly told Mr Álvarez that his son had been going through “a difficult time”.
Mr Bertazzo had also attended a consultation at a psychiatric institution a few days earlier, though his colleagues said they had not been aware of this.
Mr Álvarez said the flight school’s protocols required a flight to be cancelled if there were concerns about a pilot’s fitness to fly.
However, he added that such issues could be difficult to detect when there were no visible warning signs.
He also noted that opening an aircraft door in mid-air would have been extremely difficult because of the force of the airflow.
Source: Clarín
Reflecting on the circumstances, Mr Álvarez said:
He made this tragic decision on board an aircraft with another person by his side. It’s impossible to think about it or understand it, but the human mind is so complex.
Provincial prosecutor investigating incident
Río Segundo provincial prosecutor Patricia Baulies is investigating the circumstances surrounding Mr Bertazzo’s death.
Although the case was initially reported as being under federal jurisdiction, La Nación later reported that it had been assigned to provincial authorities.
Investigators are working to establish the precise sequence of events and determine whether any issue involving aviation safety could require further federal involvement.
If you or someone you know needs support, please consider reaching out to the following hotlines:
- Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1767
- Institute of Mental Health’s Helpline: 6389 2222
- Singapore Association for Mental Health Helpline: 1800 283 7019
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Featured image adapted from Leandro Bertazzo via CNN and Clarín.
