Student pilot, 22, is forced to land her plane alone after instructor leaps to his death from cockpit mid-flight in Argentina

Daily Mail UK ^ | July 08, 2026 | SOPHIA STANFORD, NEWS REPORTER

[Red Badger]

A student pilot was forced to land her plane alone after her instructor 'jumped' from the aircraft during their flight in Argentina.

The 22-year-old had been training with her instructor, Leandro Bertazzo, 42, in a Cessna C-150 when he evacuated the aircraft.

Although investigators are looking into the reasons behind his sudden death, the student, who is believed to have a pilot's licence but few flying hours under her belt, has claimed he opened the plane's window and jumped.

Despite watching Mr Bertazzo plunge to his death, she still managed to land the Cessna C-150 safely and unaided at Coronel Olmedo Airport, where they took off, and alerted authorities to the emergency situation.

Mr Bertazzo, who described himself online as a former commercial pilot in Chile, was then found dead 20 minutes later in a field in the area the woman marked out as the place he could have fallen.

Eduardo Alvarez, director of flight school Flying Parrot Cordoba where Leandro had worked as an instructor for four years, recounted his conversation with the young student who said he 'jumped'.

He told Argentinian media: 'At one point Leandro told her, "You know what to do, keep moving forward."

'He took his headphones off, arranged his belongings including his mobile phone, took his seatbelt off, opened the door which is very difficult to open and jumped out.

[Red Badger]

Aviation Ping....................🤔

[equaviator]

Was there a GoPro anywhere on or in the plane?

[CivilWarBrewing]

"(she) claimed he opened the plane's window and jumped"

"opened the door which is very difficult to open and jumped out."

Okay, which is it?

[Texas Eagle]

.... investigators are looking into the reasons behind his sudden death...

Probably had something to do with the impact with the ground.

[Skwor]

Rumor has it he was watching a pirated copy of Chris Nolan’s “The Odyssey” when he jumped.

[6ppc]

Other than the unexpected suicide, it’s not that big a deal. I soloed at 6 hours.

[KittyKares]

That’s a heck of a pilot license test! I guess she passed.

[Magnum44]

[red-dawg]

I've known a couple of irritating women that could make one do that.

Proverbs 21:9

[Gen.Blather]

Ya’ know, I was on a blind date where I wanted to do that.

[Joe Boucher]

i learned in 150 Cessna”s
window not big enough to jump out

[Joe 6-pack]

"Student pilot, 22, is forced to land her plane alone after instructor leaps to his death..."

Not a big issue. Most 22 year old females I run across already know everything anyways.

[volare737]

So how much of the flight did she log as dual vs. solo?

[MeanWestTexan]

I guess that’s one way to get your first solo flight.

And I was worried about a nasty cross breeze.

[GreenHornet]

'He took his headphones off, arranged his belongings including his mobile phone, took his seatbelt off, opened the door which is very difficult to open and jumped out.

Over Macho Grande?

[Zathras]

Being stuck in the house with my EX during Covid would have made me jump.
Fortunately the divorce finalized in 2015.

[PAR35]

Unless he was really small, it had to be the door.

[Red Badger]

IN Macho Grande...................

[ladyjane]

LOL - we’ve all experienced that!