Flight Instructor Jumps From Plane Mid-Air, Student Pilot Safely Lands Aircraft in Argentina

A training that scares you and a training that risks your life are two different things. Here's a life threatening incident that caught everyone's attention. A routine training in Argentina ended in tragedy after a flight trainer/ instructor reportedly jumped off the flight mid air. This left the student all by herself to land the aircraft safely.

The shocking incident took place on July 4 in Córdoba province, Argentina. The good news is that despite the terrifying situation, the 22-year-old student pilot remained calm, contacted air traffic control and safely landed the aircraft without injuries.

However the investigation has been launched over the incident.

Instructor Jumped During Training Flight

Believing the reports, Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42 was amid an ongoing training session in a Cessna 150 aircraft over the city of Toledo in Cordoba province. During the flight in air he reportedly said his student - identified only as Rosario, "You know what you have to do, carry on."

Instrutor de voo argentino Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, de 42 anos, entrega o comando do avião à aluna e diz; vc sabe o que fazer.
E se atira do avião em pleno voo. pic.twitter.com/l4AWQp3S6t

— Tigrinha da Vivíbora (@sousazone) July 8, 2026

He then took off his headset and seatbelt, opened the aircraft door and jumped from the plane while the aircraft was flying at an altitude of around 250 metres.

Student Pilot Lands Aircraft Safely

The student - Rosario, despite being alone, immediately informed air traffic control about what had happened and took full control of the aircraft. Luckily, she landed without any injuries.

After landing, she informed emergency responders about the approximate location where she had seen her instructor fall. Rescue teams later recovered Bertazzo's body, and he was declared dead at the scene.

Student Was Completing Flight Training

Believing the local reports, the student already had a pilot licence but was completing the mandatory supervised flying hours that is required to qualify further certification.
Her calm response during the emergency has drawn praise for helping prevent a second tragedy.

Flying School Says There Were No Warning Signs

Bertazzo - the instructor had been teaching at the Flying Parrot Cordoba flight school for the last four years. The director of the school, Eduardo Álvarez, reported that the instructor looked absolutely fine prior to taking off.

In Álváz's opinion, the instructor greeted everyone cheerfully as usual and had also completed one more training session with another pupil on that same day.

The only thing which could be considered strange was the request of the instructor to one of the pupils to take him to the airport from his parents' place as he used to do before.
He was described as cheerful by Álvarez and there were no signs at all that anything was wrong at the school.

Family Reports That He Was Going Through Tough Period of Life

It is reported by the father of the instructor that the instructor had some problems with his mental health and had consulted psychiatrists.
However, the flight school was not aware of that information.