Student Pilot Successfully Lands Plane After Instructor Disappears Mid Flight
News Updated: 10 July 2026 08:48 EAT
Photo Courtesy: The plane that was landed safely by a student pilot trainee
A flight training exercise in Córdoba Province, Argentina, ended in a rare aviation incident after a pilot instructor reportedly exited a small aircraft while it was airborne, leaving a trainee pilot to bring the plane safely back to the ground alone.
The incident involved a Cessna 150 aircraft operated by Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school near Toledo. The instructor, identified as 42-year-old Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, was conducting a training session with a 22-year-old student pilot when he left the aircraft during the flight.
Reports indicate that Bertazzo removed his headset and seatbelt before opening the aircraft door and exiting while the plane was still in the air. Authorities are investigating the circumstances that led to the incident.
The trainee pilot, identified as Rosario, managed to maintain control of the aircraft despite the unexpected situation. She contacted air traffic authorities for assistance before successfully landing the plane at Coronel Olmedo Airport.
The aircraft landed safely without damage, and no injuries were reported involving the student pilot or people on the ground. Aviation officials praised the trainee’s ability to remain calm and handle the emergency.
Emergency teams later located Bertazzo, who had died after falling from the aircraft. Argentina’s authorities opened investigations to determine what happened during the training flight.
The director of Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school said the aviation community was shocked by the incident, adding that there had been no apparent warning signs before the flight.
Investigators are examining flight data, witness accounts and other evidence as they seek to establish why the instructor left the aircraft and what led to the unusual mid-air event.
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FELIX MAKONA
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