A flight instructor in Argentina died after jumping from a plane during a lesson. The 22-year-old student managed to land safely. The incident has raised questions about mental health and aviation safety.
A routine training flight in central Argentina ended in tragedy when Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, a 42-year-old flight instructor, died after jumping from a moving aircraft, leaving his 22-year-old student to land the plane alone. The incident occurred over Toledo, as reported by CNN and Argentine media, and has prompted an official investigation into the circumstances surrounding Bertazzo's death.
According to statements from the Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school, where Bertazzo was employed, there were no prior indications that he intended to take his own life. On the day of the incident, Bertazzo had already completed a flight with another student without any reported issues. During the fatal lesson, he reportedly told his student, Rosario, "You know what you have to do, keep going," before removing his seatbelt and headset, opening the aircraft door, and exiting the plane mid-flight.
Eduardo Álvarez, director of the flight school, expressed shock at the event, emphasizing that Bertazzo was regarded as a positive and reliable instructor. Álvarez noted the physical difficulty of opening an aircraft door in flight, comparing it to opening a car door at 300 kilometers per hour, yet Bertazzo managed to do so without damaging the plane. The student initially believed her instructor might have jumped with a parachute as a joke, only realizing the gravity of the situation upon landing safely at the airfield.
After the incident, Álvarez contacted Bertazzo's family and learned from the instructor's father that Bertazzo had been undergoing psychiatric treatment. The student, though physically unharmed, was described as being in shock after the ordeal. Authorities have launched an investigation to clarify the exact sequence of events and determine any contributing factors to Bertazzo's actions.
This case has drawn attention to the challenges of monitoring mental health in high-responsibility professions such as aviation. While regulations in many countries require regular psychological assessments for commercial pilots, oversight for instructors and private pilots can vary. The incident in Argentina highlights the importance of mental health support and transparent communication within flight schools and the broader aviation sector. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on understanding how such a tragedy could occur and what measures might help prevent similar incidents in the future.
