World3 min(s) read
Published 10:46 09 Jul 2026 GMT
The father of the flight instructor who jumped to his death has shared an important detail that may help explain the tragedy.
Authorities are investigating the death of 42-year-old Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, who fell from a Cessna aircraft on Saturday, July 4, while conducting a training flight over Toledo, Córdoba.
According to Argentina's public prosecutor's office, Bertazzo was giving a practical lesson to 22-year-old student pilot Rosario, who was building up the flight hours required after already obtaining her private pilot license.
The aircraft, operated by Flying Parrot Córdoba, was around 850 feet in the air when the horrific incident unfolded, according to PEOPLE.
Rosario later told investigators that Bertazzo turned to her and said: "You know what you have to do, carry on."
Per a report from TN, he then removed his headphones, put away his cellphone, unfastened his seatbelt, opened the aircraft door, and fell from the plane.
Despite the unimaginable circumstances, Rosario managed to remain in control of the aircraft and landed it safely without damage.
She then contacted authorities and directed them to the area where she had seen Bertazzo fall, leading search teams to his body.
Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
As investigators work to determine exactly what happened, Bertazzo's father has revealed his son had recently been struggling with his mental health.
He told investigators that Bertazzo had been going through "a rough patch" and had sought help from a psychiatric clinic just days before the incident, La Nacion reported.
Bertazzo was single and had no children.
The public prosecutor's office said in a statement: "The Attorney General is currently focused on the investigation, in which no formal complaints have yet been filed."
Eduardo Álvarez, director of Flying Parrot Córdoba, said Bertazzo had worked at the school for four years after previously flying commercially and working as a flight instructor in Chile.
He also revealed Bertazzo had completed another lesson earlier that same day and that nobody noticed anything unusual before the fatal flight.
"He made this tragic decision on board an aircraft with another person by his side," Álvarez told TN. "It's impossible to think about it or understand it, but the human mind is so complex."
Álvarez said Rosario was in "complete shock" after safely landing the aircraft.
Reflecting on his colleague, he added that the late man was "a beautiful person with a great smile," saying: "We are surprised that this has happened."
The director also explained that opening the door of a plane during flight is not an easy task, comparing it to opening a car door while traveling at around 200 kilometers per hour.
Investigators initially examined whether a mechanical fault may have contributed to the incident. Authorities are now investigating the possibility that Bertazzo intentionally exited the aircraft, although the Córdoba public prosecutor's office says the investigation remains ongoing.
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