Argentine flight instructor dies after falling mid-flight; student makes emergency landing

A tragic incident unfolded in Argentina's Córdoba province on Saturday, July 4, when a flight instructor fell to his death from a small aircraft during a training exercise. The instructor, identified as 42-year-old Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, was reportedly with a 22-year-old student pilot when he fell from the Cessna 150G aircraft at an altitude of approximately 250 meters.

Following the instructor's fall, the student pilot, who already held a pilot's license but was accumulating flight hours, found herself alone at the controls. She managed to alert ground controllers and successfully landed the plane without sustaining any injuries. The body of Bertazzo was later discovered in a nearby field.

Argentine authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fall. While technical issues related to the door opening are being examined, investigators are currently prioritizing the hypothesis of a voluntary act. The student pilot reportedly recounted that the instructor told her, "You know what you have to do," before removing his helmet, stowing his phone, unbuckling his seatbelt, and opening the aircraft door.

Colleagues described Bertazzo as an experienced and well-liked pilot who had worked at the Flying Parrot Cordoba flight school for four years. He held an airline transport pilot license issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and had recently applied to join an airline. The director of the flight school stated that Bertazzo showed no concerning signs in the days leading up to the incident, appearing cheerful as usual. However, the pilot's father later informed the school director that his son had been going through a difficult period and had recently sought psychiatric help.