Overview
- On July 4, 42‑year‑old instructor Leandro Andrés Bertazzo reportedly told his 22‑year‑old student Rosario “you know what you have to do,” removed his headset and seatbelt, opened the Cessna 150 door and jumped while the plane was airborne, and the student radioed for help and landed the undamaged aircraft.
- Colleagues launched a search flight and located Bertazzo’s body in a nearby field about 15 to 20 minutes after the student reported the event, and emergency services pronounced him dead at the scene.
- Federal prosecutors in Córdoba have seized the plane and are reviewing maintenance logs, flight communications and school records to determine whether a mechanical or safety‑system failure allowed the door to open or whether the exit was intentional.
- Local reporting that Bertazzo had recently received psychiatric or neuropsychiatric treatment known only to close relatives is being weighed by investigators alongside operational evidence, and the flight school says routine six‑monthly medical checks showed no warning signs.
- Aircraft experts note that opening a Cessna 150 door in flight is normally difficult because aerodynamic forces push the door closed, and the investigation’s findings could prompt changes to pilot fitness disclosure and flight‑school safety procedures.