Authorities in Argentina are investigating the death of flight instructor Leandro Andrés Bertazzo during a training flight.
CÓRDOBA, Argentina — A 22-year-old student pilot safely landed a small training plane after her instructor died during a flight over central Argentina, authorities and local aviation officials said.
The incident happened Saturday during a training flight near Toledo, in Córdoba province, and is now under investigation by federal authorities. The instructor was identified as Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, an experienced pilot and flight teacher. The student, identified in reports only as Rosario, was physically unharmed after landing the aircraft at Coronel Olmedo Airport. The case has drawn attention in Argentina and abroad because of the student’s calm response and the unusual circumstances surrounding Bertazzo’s death.
The flight began as a lesson in a Cessna 150, a small two-seat aircraft commonly used for pilot training. Rosario already held a private pilot license but was still completing flight instruction, according to reports from Argentina. During the flight, Bertazzo gave her a brief instruction before the emergency unfolded. The student later reported the incident and continued flying the aircraft alone. Aviation officials said she contacted the flight school and received help by radio before bringing the plane down safely. The aircraft landed without damage, and no one on the ground was injured.
Eduardo Álvarez, director of the Flying Parrot Córdoba flight school, said the student showed strong control under extreme stress. Álvarez said Bertazzo had shown no clear warning signs at the school before the flight. After the student landed and reported what happened, Álvarez joined the search effort. Bertazzo’s body was found minutes later in a rural area near the flight path. Authorities seized the aircraft as part of the investigation, and federal prosecutors began reviewing the circumstances of the flight, including witness statements, flight records and the condition of the plane.
Bertazzo was described as a veteran aviator with wide experience in the field. Reports said he held advanced aviation credentials and had worked as a commercial pilot. Colleagues described him as skilled, professional and familiar with training flights. His death shocked the school and the local aviation community. Family members later said he had been going through personal difficulties and had sought psychiatric care before the incident. Álvarez said the school had not been aware of those details. Authorities have not released a final finding on motive, and the investigation remained open Thursday.
The student’s landing became a central part of the official account. She had to manage the aircraft, communicate what happened and return to the airfield while under severe emotional pressure. The Cessna 150 is a basic trainer, but a sudden emergency can still create serious risks for a low-hour pilot. Reports said Rosario followed instructions from the ground and completed the landing without injury. Flight school officials praised her composure, saying her training helped prevent a second tragedy. Her full name has not been widely released, and officials have not said whether she has spoken publicly beyond statements given to investigators.
The case is being handled by federal authorities because it involved an aircraft in flight. Investigators are expected to review the plane’s maintenance records, flight plan, communications and any available data from the lesson. Early reports did not point to a mechanical failure, but officials have not issued a final technical report. The aircraft remained in custody while investigators worked to confirm the sequence of events. No criminal complaint had been publicly announced as of Thursday, and no other person was reported injured or accused in connection with the incident.
The flight took place near Coronel Olmedo Airport, an airfield in Córdoba province used for general aviation and flight instruction. Toledo and surrounding rural areas sit southeast of the city of Córdoba, one of Argentina’s major urban centers. Small aircraft training is common in the region, where open land and local airfields support flight schools. The emergency forced instructors and authorities to respond quickly across a wide rural search area after Rosario returned the aircraft to the airport and reported what had happened.
News of the death spread quickly after Argentine outlets reported the student’s account and the flight school’s response. International outlets later picked up the story, focusing on the student’s forced solo landing and Bertazzo’s background as an experienced instructor. Some reports compared the case to past aviation tragedies involving pilot mental health, though authorities in Argentina have not linked the incident to any broader aviation safety failure. Investigators have not said whether they will recommend policy changes, medical review changes or new procedures for flight schools.
As of Thursday, Bertazzo’s death remained under federal investigation, and the student pilot had survived the emergency without physical injury. The next major step is expected to be a fuller investigative report on the flight, the aircraft and the events that led to the instructor’s death.
Author note: Last updated July 9, 2026.