- Instructor Leandro Bertazzo jumped from the plane during a flight lesson, leading to a student pilot having to land the aircraft alone.
- Leandro Bertazzo told the student to “keep moving forward” before he took off his headphones, gathered his phone and other items from the cockpit, opened the plane’s door and jumped out.
- Alone in the cockpit, the student radioed the tower to report the incident and declared an emergency while returning to Coronel Olmedo Airport.
- The student pilot was able to land the plane without any assistance, and Eduardo Alvarez, director of flight school Flying Parrot Cordoba, praised her for being mature and professional.
- The student informed authorities where Bertazzo had jumped, and his body was later found in a field nearby.
- Argentine officials are investigating the incident, including whether the plane had a faulty hatch.
- Eduardo Alvarez stated, “She was very shaken, but with complete professionalism she flew the plane to the airfield and made a perfect landing.”
A student pilot in Argentina was forced to land a plane alone after her instructor, Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, jumped from the aircraft during a training flight on July 4. The incident occurred near Córdoba while flying a Cessna C-150.6
Bertazzo reportedly told the student to “keep moving forward” before he removed his headphones, gathered his belongings, and exited the plane. The 22-year-old trainee, identified only as Rosario, managed to radio the tower, declaring an emergency and successfully landing the aircraft at Coronel Olmedo Airport without assistance.3
Eduardo Alvarez, director of the flight school Flying Parrot Cordoba, commended Rosario for her composure, stating, “She was very shaken, but with complete professionalism she flew the plane to the airfield and made a perfect landing.” After landing, she informed authorities of where Bertazzo had jumped, leading to the discovery of his body in a nearby field.458
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with prosecutors examining flight records and witness statements. No criminal charges have been filed, and officials from the flying school noted that Bertazzo had shown no concerning behavior prior to the flight. However, his family revealed he had previously sought psychiatric treatment, raising questions about his state of mind during the flight.
Authorities are also looking into whether a faulty hatch may have contributed to the incident.7
“After Leandro Bertazzo jumped, the student pilot managed to land the plane without assistance, earning praise from Eduardo Alvarez, director of Flying Parrot Cordoba, who noted her professionalism despite being shaken. Authorities are investigating the incident, including the possibility of a faulty hatch on the aircraft.”
The Filipino Times
The Virginian-Pilot
