A flight instructor in Argentina died after jumping from a training aircraft during a lesson, leaving his student to land the plane alone.
Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, was aboard a Cessna 150 with a 22-year-old student Saturday when he removed his headset and seat belt, opened the aircraft’s door and jumped from the plane while it was in flight, according to Argentine news outlet TN.
The student, identified only as Rosario, safely landed the aircraft despite what officials described as a traumatic situation. The plane was not damaged.
The incident happened near Toledo, in central Argentina. The country’s public prosecutor confirmed Bertazzo’s death Tuesday and said the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
According to TN, Bertazzo reportedly told the student, “You know what you have to do, carry on,” before removing his headset, unbuckling his seat belt and jumping from the aircraft.
Student Safely Lands The Plane
Eduardo Álvarez, director of the Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school where Bertazzo worked, said there had been no indication the experienced instructor was planning to take his own life, according to TN.
“He made this tragic decision aboard an aircraft with one other person by his side,” Álvarez told TN. “There’s no way to think about it or understand it, but the human mind is so complex.”
Álvarez said Bertazzo had completed another routine training flight with a different student earlier that day.
He also praised the student’s response, saying she remained calm enough to safely fly the aircraft back to the airfield despite being deeply shaken by what had happened.
At the time of the incident, the pair were flying at an altitude of approximately 820 to 850 feet, according to investigators.
“She was very shaken, but with complete professionalism, she piloted the plane to the airfield and landed perfectly,” Álvarez told TN.
Investigation Continues
Álvarez said opening the door of a small aircraft in flight requires significant force, comparing it to trying to open the door of a car traveling about 124 mph.
After the student landed safely, Álvarez said he flew over the area to help locate Bertazzo’s body before directing responding officers to the scene.
According to TN, Bertazzo had worked at Flying Parrot Córdoba for about a decade and was also a licensed commercial pilot who had previously worked as a flight instructor in neighboring Chile.
The Federal Court of Córdoba is investigating the incident and authorities have impounded the aircraft as part of the investigation.
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