A 22-year-old student pilot endured a harrowing ordeal in Argentina after her flight instructor jumped from the cockpit mid-air—leaving her to land the aircraft alone. The incident occurred on Monday, 6 July, over Toledo, a town in Argentina’s Córdoba province.
Mid-Air Jump and Emergency Landing
Leandro Bertacco, 42, reportedly unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door of the Cessna C-150—which is notoriously difficult to open in flight—and jumped out while the plane was airborne. He was found dead in a nearby field shortly after the incident.
The student pilot described the chilling sequence: ‘He removed his headphones, organized his personal belongings—including his mobile phone—unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door, and jumped out.’ She immediately declared an emergency, suddenly facing the terrifying responsibility of landing the aircraft solo.
Praise for Calm, Professional Response
Eduardo Alvarez, director of Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school—where Bertacco worked—praised the student’s composure. ‘She was extremely shaken, but with absolute professionalism, she guided the plane back to the airport and executed a perfect landing.’
Alvarez described her as ‘very clear-headed, decisive, mature, and professional,’ noting that although she held a pilot’s license, she had relatively few flight hours. ‘She maintained an exceptionally high level of training and professionalism,’ he added.
Unforeseen Tragedy
Alvarez acknowledged that no one anticipated such a tragedy. ‘He made this tragic decision inside the aircraft—with another person right beside him. There’s no way to foresee or comprehend it—but the human mind is so complex, so unpredictable.’
At one point during the flight, Bertacco reportedly turned to the student and said, ‘You know what to do—just keep going.’
Local reports indicate Bertacco had undergone neuropsychiatric treatment, though only his closest family members were aware of this before the incident.
Authorities called the circumstances surrounding the jump ‘highly unusual’ and said they are still unable to explain how the instructor ended up falling from the aircraft. The investigation remains ongoing.