A flight instructor in Argentina took off his headset, unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the plane’s door and jumped to his death during a lesson. That left his 22-year-old student to land the aircraft by herself.
The instructor was 42-year-old Leandro Andrés Bertazzo. He was found dead near Toledo, in Córdoba province, on Saturday, July 4, 2026. The office of Attorney General Carlos Gonella released details of the case.
The student is identified only as Rosario. She was flying with Bertazzo in a small Cessna 150 when he turned to her mid-flight. According to Argentine outlet Todos Noticias, he told her, “You know what you have to do, carry on.”
Then Bertazzo removed his headset, unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door and jumped from the plane, prosecutors said. Rosario, who holds a private pilot’s license, suddenly found herself alone at the controls.
She stayed calm and kept the plane steady. Next, she radioed staff at Flying Parrot Córdoba, the flight school where Bertazzo worked. They talked her through the emergency steps needed to land safely. She brought the plane back to Coronel Olmedo Airport without further trouble. No one else was hurt, and the aircraft was not damaged.
What the school said
Eduardo Álvarez directs Flying Parrot Córdoba. He said there had been no warning signs that Bertazzo planned to jump. He called it a tragic decision that is hard to understand.
Álvarez also said Bertazzo had flown with another student earlier that same day, apparently without incident. He praised Rosario’s response, calling it decisive, mature and professional under extreme pressure.
What we still do not know
Prosecutors are treating the case as an apparent suicide. Investigators recovered Bertazzo’s body from a field between Toledo and Río Segundo, both in Córdoba province. So far, no reason has been given for why he left the plane. The investigation is still open, and no motive has been made public.
Rosario’s full identity has not been released. It also remains unclear whether she has spoken publicly about the ordeal.
