Pilot jumps to his death midair, leaving student to land plane
WDSU • • world
Key Points:
- Flight instructor Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, died after jumping out of a moving Cessna 150 plane in Toledo, Argentina, leaving his 22-year-old student Rosario to land the aircraft alone.
- Before jumping, Bertazzo told the student, "You know what you have to do, carry on," then removed his headset and seatbelt, opened the door mid-flight, and exited the plane.
- The student, despite being in shock, successfully landed the plane without damage, according to Eduardo Álvarez, director of the Flying Parrot Córdoba flying school.
- Bertazzo was an experienced pilot and instructor, having also worked in Chile, and there were no prior signs of suicidal intent noted by colleagues.
- Argentine prosecutors have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Bertazzo’s death.
