Student pilot lands Cessna alone after instructor allegedly jumps mid-flight in Argentina

A training flight in Argentina ended in tragedy when a student pilot landed a light aircraft alone after her instructor reportedly jumped from the plane mid-flight.

What happened

The aircraft was a Cessna C-150 on a training exercise. The student, who is 22 years old and is believed to hold a pilot’s licence but has limited flying experience, successfully landed the plane unassisted at Coronel Olmedo Airport, where the flight had begun.

Instructor’s actions and immediate aftermath

The instructor has been identified as 42-year-old Leandro Bertazzo. According to investigators, the student later told them that the pilot opened the aircraft’s window before jumping from the plane. After landing, the student immediately alerted authorities.

Emergency teams located Bertazzo’s body in a nearby field about 20 minutes after the student identified the area where she believed he had fallen. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.

Flight school and background details

Eduardo Alvarez, director of the Flying Parrot Cordoba flight school where Bertazzo had worked as an instructor for the past four years, described a conversation he had with the shaken student.

“At one point Leandro told her, ‘You know what to do, keep moving forward.’ “

Alvarez also described Bertazzo’s actions in the aircraft before jumping:

“He took his headphones off, arranged his belongings including his mobile phone, took his seatbelt off, opened the door, which is very difficult to open and jumped out.”

Additional reported information

Local reports cited by media said Bertazzo had reportedly received neuropsychiatric treatment in the past and that only close relatives were aware of his condition before the incident. It is also reported that he had described himself online as a former commercial pilot in Chile before working as a flight instructor in Argentina.

Investigation under way

Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the instructor’s death. The student has spoken to investigators, according to reports.