A 22-year-old student pilot was forced to land a Cessna 150G alone on Saturday after her instructor leaped to his death from the cockpit. The act turned a routine training flight over the province of Córdoba into a psychological nightmare.
Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, decided to jump from the two-seat aircraft while mid-flight, according to CNN and its affiliate TN. The instructor left his pupil, Rosario, to handle the aircraft in total isolation.
Rosario told authorities that Bertazzo gave her a final, chilling instruction before he departed. He told her, “You know what you have to do, carry on,” according to Eduardo Álvarez, the director of the Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school.
Bertazzo then removed his gear, opened the aircraft door and leaped into the air. This physical feat was remarkably difficult given the wind resistance. Álvarez compared the effort to opening a car door at 124 miles per hour.
Despite being in complete shock, Rosario managed to bring the plane down safely. TN reported that the aircraft suffered no damage during the landing. Bertazzo had flown with another student earlier that same day.
The tragedy reveals a hidden struggle with mental health. Álvarez told TN that Bertazzo had visited a psychiatric institute, a fact known only to his family before the incident on Saturday.
This event highlights the terrifying vulnerability of student pilots who rely entirely on the stability of their mentors. A mentor’s sudden collapse can instantly transform a classroom into a survival scenario.
Prosecutors in Córdoba are now leading the investigation into the death. The Cessna 150G remains in police custody as officials work to close the case this week.
