An Argentinian flight instructor died after jumping from a Cessna 150G aircraft during a lesson on July 4, leaving his student pilot to land the plane. The instructor, identified as Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, told the 22-year-old student, "You know what you have to do, carry on," before unbuckling and exiting the aircraft over Toledo, a town in the central Argentinian province of Córdoba.
The student, who possessed a private pilot's license, contacted officials at the Flying Parrot flight school and was guided through emergency procedures to land the plane safely. Eduardo Álvarez, director of the flight school, commended the student's composure and skill, describing her as "very clear, decisive, mature, and professional" during the incident. She landed the aircraft without damage.
Álvarez discovered Bertazzo's body during a search flight approximately 15 minutes after the jump. Bertazzo was pronounced dead at the scene in a rural area of Córdoba. Authorities have launched an investigation into the death and seized the aircraft.
According to reports, Bertazzo had been experiencing mental health issues and had voluntarily admitted himself to a clinic, a fact known only to his close family. Álvarez stated that no one at the flight school had noticed any distress in Bertazzo, describing the student-instructor relationship as professional but close. He expressed bewilderment at Bertazzo's actions, noting the complexity of the human mind.
Officials found Bertazzo's decision perplexing, noting the difficulty of opening a Cessna 150G's doors mid-flight. Bertazzo was a veteran pilot with extensive experience and multiple licenses, including an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certification. He had previously worked in Chile.