A flight instructor in Argentina reportedly forced his student to land a plane alone after allegedly jumping out of the aircraft to his death.
According to a statement from the country’s public prosecutor’s office, the incident happened on July 4 over the small town of Toledo in central Argentina. Authorities said 42-year-old Leandro Andrés Bertazzo exited a Cessna 150G during a training flight, leaving behind his 22-year-old student, Rosario.
Rosario told investigators that Bertazzo looked at her and said, “You know what you have to do, carry on,” before taking off his headset, unbuckling his seatbelt, opening the aircraft door, and jumping out, according to CNN affiliate TN.
Del Sur Diario reported that Rosario managed to safely land the plane without causing any damage or suffering injuries. After touching down, she alerted authorities and pointed them to the area where Bertazzo was believed to have fallen. His body was later located, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Eduardo Álvarez, director of the Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school where Bertazzo worked, told TN there had been no warning signs suggesting he intended to take his own life by jumping from an aircraft.
Álvarez also explained that opening an aircraft door while in flight is extremely difficult, comparing it to trying to open a car door while traveling at 124 miles per hour.
“He made this tragic decision on board an aircraft with another person by his side,” Álvarez said. “It’s impossible to think about it or understand it, but the human mind is so complex.”
“We are surprised that this has happened,” he added.
