An Argentine flight instructor jumped to his death during a lesson, leaving his student to land the aircraft alone.

The horrific incident took place in the air over Toledo, Córdoba, Argentina, as instructor Leandro Andrés Bertazzo was giving a practical flying lesson in a Cessna C-150.

CNN reported that Rosario, a 22-year-old student, was trying to build up her flying hours, despite already having a private pilot license.

Student pilots who are building up hours must fly alongside an instructor or safety pilot, and for her, it was Bertazzo.

Mid-flight, the instructor reportedly told the student: "You know what to do," before removing his headset, arranging his items, taking off his seatbelt and jumping out of the aircraft.

Rosario managed to remain calm despite the ordeal, safely landing the aircraft.

Confusion over Bertazzo's actions

Rosario was praised by Eduardo Álvarez, the director of flight school Flying Parrot Córdoba, after she managed to maintain control of the aircraft in an emergency situation while being in "complete shock."

Later, the director took off in another aircraft to search for the plane instructor, finding his body in a field around 15 to 20 minutes after the alarm was raised.

The instructor was pronounced dead by authorities upon their arrival.

The pilot suddenly jumped out of the moving plane. Credit: Instagram/@leobertazzo

Bertazzo was an instructor at Flying Parrot Córdoba for four years, having been a commercial pilot in the past.

His colleagues claimed they did not notice anything out of the ordinary before this flight, as Álvarez claimed that he'd even completed another lesson earlier that day as normal.

Speaking to CNN affiliate TN, the director said: “He made this tragic decision on board an aircraft with another person by his side,

“It’s impossible to think about it or understand it, but the human mind is so complex.”

Reflecting on the person that Bertazzo was, Álvarez said that he was “a beautiful person with a great smile,” admitting that “We are surprised that this has happened.”

Bertazzo's death is under investigation

Álvarez explained that opening the door of a plane while it is in flight isn't an easy task, comparing it to opening a car door while it's traveling at 200 kilometers an hour.

The plane was undamaged after the harrowing incident.

Bertazzo had previously worked as a flight instructor in Chile, and authorities had looked at whether there was a mechanical issue with the plane.

But investigators are now treating the case as a possible suicide, as authorities in Córdoba are looking into the case, desperate to find the exact details of the instructor's death.

The late Bertazzo's father said that he has consulted a psychiatric clinic as he was “having a bad time.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.

Featured image credit: Instagram/@leobertazzo

A 27-year-old mother tragically plunged to her death during a paragliding incident after setting out to conquer her fear of flying.

Daniela Barrios, determined to confront her fears, had shared a photo on her social media account just before the fatal flight, expressing her readiness to tackle her flying phobia.

"Join me on my crazy things," her caption said. "Let's overcome a fear."

Accompanied by her pilot, Barrios embarked on her flight from the El Castillo mountain in the Quidío municipality of Calarcá in Colombia on Saturday afternoon, per the Daily Mail.

Tragically, during the flight over the Pradera Alta trail, she slipped from her seat, as confirmed by the Calarcá Fire Department.

The pilot, whose identity remains undisclosed, was unable to prevent the fall and had to continue the flight until a safe landing could be executed.

Eyewitnesses immediately alerted emergency services upon witnessing Barrios's fall from the paraglider. A search-and-rescue operation commenced around 3:00PM and concluded late into the night, with firefighters discovering Barrios's lifeless body.

"She did not show vital signs when she was found and was pronounced dead on the scene," reported Calarcá Fire Department commander, Captain Javier Arconde, as quoted by El Tiempo newspaper.

"Apparently, the young woman slipped from the seat where the co-pilot is sitting. The pilot had to follow his route because he had no way to stop, he was able to land well but she fell."

Barrios, who was also the owner of a lingerie line, leaves behind a seven-year-old son.

In another tragic story from South America, a Brazilian priest was attempting to raise money for charity when his world record attempt of being airborne using helium balloons ended in disaster.

Father Adelir Antonio de Carli, affectionately known as the 'balloon priest' of Brazil, set off from the port city of Paranagua on April 20, 2008.

Equipped with a parachute for safety, de Carli aimed to break the 19-hour record for the longest duration spent airborne, reported the Guardian.

Despite his background as a skydiver and extensive survival training, de Carli's ambitious attempt ended in tragedy.

With a GPS tracker and radio for communication with air traffic control, de Carli commenced his world record bid. Yet, after eight hours into the flight, the 41-year-old priest vanished from radar, triggering an intensive search operation involving aircraft, helicopters, and rescue teams.

Two days following his departure, remnants of balloons were sighted in the sea off Brazil's Santa Catarina state, marking the last known location of de Carli. Despite exhaustive efforts, his body was not recovered until months later in July, off the southeastern coast of Brazil.

"We were almost certain that it was the priest due to various elements, such as the clothes and material used in the balloon trip," commented Macae’s chief of police, Daniel Bandeira. "The DNA only confirmed our suspicions," as per Reuters.

Reports indicate that during his ill-fated journey, de Carli encountered difficulties with his GPS device and endured extreme cold. Despite reaching an altitude of 20,000 feet, he faced unexpected winds that diverted his course, ultimately leading to his tragic death.

Featured image credit: Bajak/Getty

The father of the man who flew the American Airlines plane that fatally collided with a military helicopter has spoken out.

In the aftermath of the tragic mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., on January 29, which claimed 67 lives, two individuals with ties to Georgia have been identified among the victims.

First Officer Samuel "Sam" Lilley, 28, served as the first officer on American Airlines Flight 5342. He began his flight training in 2019 and had been with PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, for two years. Sam was engaged to be married later this year.

His father, Timothy Lilley, a former Army helicopter pilot, expressed his profound grief, stating to Fox 5 Atlanta, "This is undoubtedly the worst day of my life."

Timothy, who was in New York for work reasons, recalled. "Last night when I saw on Fox News there was a crash in DC, I really didn't think there was any way that was my son."

However, when he didn't heart from his son, who always checked in, he realized the worst had happened.

Reflecting on his son's passion for aviation, he added, "He loved it. We just confirmed the news. We are in complete shock." 

Timothy, who served 20 years as a helicopter pilot in the Army, added: "In the '90s, I used to fly in and out of the Pentagon regularly, and I can tell you if you are flying on the route over the Potomac and wearing night vision goggles, it's going to be very hard to see that plane. If you're not wearing the goggles, then you might have a chance.

He believes the American Airlines plane was following proper protocol, but the military aircraft made a fatal error. "From what I can see, those guys turned right into the jet. I think the PSA jet was doing everything right. The Army pilot made a grave error. It hurts me because those are my brothers, and now my son is dead," Timothy said.

Staff Sgt. Ryan O'Hara, 28, a 2014 graduate of Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia, was the crew chief aboard the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter involved in the collision.

He was remembered by his high school's Marine Corps JROTC program, which stated, "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of one of our own."

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Josh Muehlendorf, who served with O'Hara, described him as "one of the most dedicated, disciplined, and committed soldiers I've ever worked with." 

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp extended his condolences, saying, "We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Ryan O’Hara and Sam Lilley as they navigate this difficult time." He highlighted their shared passion for flight and service, noting the profound loss felt by their unexpected passing. 

As investigations continue into the cause of this devastating accident, communities in Georgia and beyond mourn the loss of these two dedicated individuals.

Featured image credit: Win McNamee / Getty

A 23-year-old pilot from North Carolina died last Friday (July 29) when he jumped or fell from a plane midflight.

Authorities have not yet said whether Charles Hew Crooks deliberately exited the small aircraft as it approached Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

In the wake of his tragic death, Hew Crooks' family described him as a flying fanatic who had been working towards becoming a professional pilot for years.

Per WRAL.com, they could not explain how or why the incident had occurred on Friday afternoon when Hew Crooks set off in a 10-person plane with another pilot.

At some point during the flight, Hew Crooks - who was co-piloting the aircraft - jumped or fell to his death. The other pilot was able to land the plane safely, and only suffered minor injuries. According to officials, he was released from a local hospital on Friday evening but is still yet to speak publicly about what happened inside the plane.

Investigators say that Hew Crooks was not wearing a parachute when he left the aircraft. He did not survive the fall, and his body was found tangled in the trees in the backyard of the Fuquay-Varina residence.

The young pilot's father was at a loss as to why his son would leave the plane without a parachute.

"I don’t know," the grieving father said, adding: "We can’t process it right now, I don’t know."

"I can't imagine what happened. We’ll figure it out, I suppose," he continued.

Hew Crooks' father went on to say that his son had been learning to fly while he was still in college, and that he was living his dream as a pilot.

"He pursued his private pilot license while he was in college. I think he got that when he was a sophomore. He said a couple weeks ago, he wouldn't trade places with anybody in the world. He loved where he was," he told outlets.

Hew Crookes had worked as a flight instructor for over a year and was certified to fly in almost all conditions. In the wake of his death, his family are waiting for investigators to determine exactly what happened aboard the plane last week,

"We’re a strong family, and we’re a very loving family. But this, it leaves a hole," his father said, adding: "I don't know. We can't process it right now."

Featured Image Credit: ScotStock / Alamy

A pilot thought his flight instructor was playing a prank on him when the man actually died of a cardiac arrest during take-off, a report has heard.

The 57-year-old man had agreed to accompany a qualified pilot on a flight from Blackpool Airport in Lancashire, UK, to another airfield on June 29, 2022, when the medical emergency occurred.

The instructor "suffered a sudden fatal heart attack" as the Piper PA-28-161 took off, but the pilot admitted he saw the man's head roll back but did not think anything of it.

The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report states that the pilot had been good friends with the instructor and believed he was just pretending to be asleep at the time.

The report from February 9 states: "The pilot knew the instructor well and thought he was just pretending to take a nap whilst the pilot flew the circuit, so he did not think anything was wrong at this stage."

The pilot revealed that the instructor slumped over in his seat a short time later, before his head fell onto the pilot's shoulder, but he still believed his friend was joking around.

When the plane landed, the pilot finally realized something was seriously wrong with his friend, and crews tried to revive him but were unsuccessful.

The instructor had a history of high blood pressure and had been on medication to control it since 2002 according to the report.

His cause of death was ruled to be acute cardiac failure, with a blood clot being found in his heart, as well as signs of "diffuse atheromatous disease," which is when the arteries become clogged.

The pilot had not seen any abnormal signs from the instructor while the plane was about to take off, and others who had seen the man on the day he died had said he seemed normal and did not appear to be feeling unwell.

The cardiac arrest appeared to come on suddenly as the report added: "The three people who had flown with him for the trial lesson just prior to the incident flight said he seemed well and nothing abnormal had occurred."

The man was an experienced flier, having logged almost 9,000 flying hours, including 184 in the 90 days before he died.

He had been employed as a full-time senior flight instructor, and the report added that it was fortunate that he died while on board with another pilot who was capable of safely landing the light aircraft without assistance.

The AAIB said: "Had this occurred on another flight the outcome could have been different. No tests or assessment can give a 100 percent reliable detection of cardiac issues."

Featured image credit: Sarayuth Punnasuriyaporn / Alamy