A routine flight lesson in Argentina took an unbelievable turn when a student pilot was forced into what may be the most abrupt solo flight in aviation history.
According to investigators, the instructor unexpectedly left the aircraft while it was still thousands of feet in the air, leaving his stunned student with two basic choices: learn very quickly… or become tomorrow’s headline. Yes, the instructing pilot jumped from the craft, leaving the student to deal with the emergency landing on her own.
Moments earlier, the instructor reportedly told her, “You know what you have to do. Carry on.”
That’s one way to build confidence.
Despite being thrown into the ultimate pop quiz, the student somehow kept her composure and safely landed the Cessna without a scratch. Aviation experts praised her calm under pressure, while flight schools everywhere quietly added, “Please remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete stop,” to their lesson plans.
Flight instructor Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, 42, was found dead following the incident, which took place in Toledo, central Argentina, on Saturday, according to a statement from the country’s public prosecutor, published Tuesday. Investigators continue working to determine exactly what led to the instructor’s actions, but one thing is already clear:
The student definitely earned her solo flight certificate the hard way.
