Argentinian Flight Instructor Commits Suicide Mid-Flight, Leaving Student Pilot to Land Alone

A tragic incident occurred in Argentina when a flight instructor jumped from a small aircraft, forcing his 22-year-old student pilot to perform an emergency solo landing.

Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, was operating a two-seat Cessna 150G on Saturday when he chose to leap from the aircraft over the province of Córdoba, according to reports from CNN and its Argentinian affiliate, TN.

“He made this tragic decision on board an aircraft with another person by his side,” said Eduardo Álvarez, director of the Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school where Bertazzo was employed. “It’s impossible to comprehend or understand, but the human mind is incredibly complex.”

An undated photo of Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, a 42-year-old pilot who jumped to his death from a plane on Saturday, July 4 in Argentina. (Instagram/Leandro Bertazzo)

The student pilot, Rosario, later informed authorities that before jumping, Bertazzo told her, “You know what you have to do, carry on.” He then reportedly removed his gear, opened the cockpit door, and leaped from the plane, according to Álvarez.

Álvarez noted that opening an aircraft door while in flight is an immense physical challenge, comparing the difficulty to attempting to open a car door while traveling at 124 miles per hour.

Cessna 150m FRA150M climbing out after take-off with flaps deployed and hills behind. (aviation-images.com/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Despite being in a state of complete shock, Rosario successfully landed the aircraft. According to TN, the plane sustained no damage during the landing.

Álvarez added that Bertazzo had conducted a flight with a different student earlier that same day.

A view from the main road of the flight school Bertazzo worked at, Flying Parrot Córdoba. (Google Maps)

Additionally, Álvarez informed TN that Bertazzo had previously sought treatment at a psychiatric institute, a detail known only to his family until his death.

Prosecutors in Córdoba have launched an investigation into the circumstances of Bertazzo’s death. The aircraft has been taken into police custody for examination.

Source link