A 42-year-old flight instructor in central Argentina took his own life mid-flight during a routine training session, forcing his 22-year-old student to take control of the aircraft and land it safely on her own.
The event occurred on Saturday, July 4, 2026, over the town of Toledo in Córdoba Province. Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, an experienced instructor employed by the Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school, was conducting a training flight in a Cessna 150 (registration LV-CGN) with his student, identified locally as Rosario.
According to statements from the student and authorities, Bertazzo calmly removed his headset, arranged his personal belongings including his cell phone, unbuckled his seatbelt, and told her: “You know what you have to do, carry on.” He then forced open the aircraft door against the air pressure and leaped out from an altitude of approximately 820 feet.
Despite being in complete shock, the young student pilot— who held a pilot’s license but had limited flying hours—maintained composure, immediately alerted authorities, and successfully landed the small two-seater Cessna at Coronel Olmedo Airport, from where the flight had originated. Flight school director Eduardo Álvarez praised her professionalism, noting she was “very shaken” but executed a perfect landing.
Bertazzo’s body was located in a nearby rural field about 20 minutes later. The Federal Court of Córdoba is investigating the circumstances, with reports indicating he had previously received neuropsychiatric treatment. Colleagues described him as experienced, having also worked as an instructor in Chile, and said there were no obvious prior signs of distress during earlier flights that day.
This tragedy highlights both the immense mental health challenges that can affect anyone, even in high-responsibility professions like aviation, and the remarkable resilience and training that allowed the student to avert further disaster.
