A 42-year-old commercial pilot, Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, died after reportedly jumping from a Cessna C-150 light aircraft during a training flight near Córdoba, Argentina, on July 7, 2026. The incident left his 22-year-old female trainee to land the plane alone.
Last Words and Actions
According to the trainee, Bertazzo instructed her, 'you know what you have to do' and 'keep going forward,' then removed his headphones, set aside his mobile phone, unbuckled his seatbelt, and opened the cabin door. Despite the extreme difficulty of opening the door in flight due to air pressure, he jumped from an altitude of approximately 820 feet (250 metres) near the rural area of Toledo, south of Córdoba.
Trainee's Response
The trainee immediately radioed for assistance, followed emergency procedures, and successfully landed the undamaged aircraft at the airfield without further incident. School director Eduardo Álvarez, who received the alert, stated she acted with 'great level-headedness' despite being in shock. She initially thought her instructor might have used a parachute but soon realised he had not.
Discovery and Investigation
Álvarez and colleagues took off to search and found Bertazzo's body in a field within 15 minutes. Emergency services confirmed his death at the scene. The Federal Justice of Córdoba is investigating the incident, with eyewitness reports suggesting a deliberate act. The aircraft sustained no damage, including to the door.
Background and Colleagues' Reactions
Bertazzo, employed by Flying Parrot Flight School for four years and a decade-long trainer there, had previously flown in Chile. Colleagues described him as cheerful, professional, and impeccably dressed, showing no outward signs of distress. Álvarez, who considered him a friend, said, 'He arrived, we greeted each other with a kiss and a hug as always... We are all in shock. There is no way to understand what happened.' It later emerged that Bertazzo had undergone psychiatric treatment, known only to his family, and had been seeking employment with a major airline. None of his colleagues noticed red flags during mandatory semi-annual physical and mental health assessments.
