Federal officials are investigating a Rockies coach’s cockpit visit during a United flight
DENVER — Federal transportation officials are investigating an unauthorized onboard cockpit visit by a coach of the Colorado Rockies baseball team during a United Airlines charter flight from Denver to Toronto last week.
This week, a video surfaced showing Rockies coach Hensley punching Meulens while sitting in a pilot’s seat while the April 10 flight was at cruising altitude. It is against federal regulations for unauthorized persons to be in the cockpit.
In the video, he can be seen and heard joking with other people in the cockpit — including a person in a pilot’s uniform and at least one other person who does not appear to be an airline employee — and saying that the plane was at 35,000 feet (10,670 feet). meters).
“I’m flying by plane, here to Toronto,” Meulens says, gesturing to the person in uniform sitting next to him.
‘I’m going to land the plane tonight. So relax,” he says. He then reaches for the controls and pretends to hold it, saying, “I just press this button… and it goes down.”
Meulens posted the video to social media and later deleted it, but it had already gone viral and was reposted, The Denver Post reported. He could not immediately be reached for comment through the Rockies’ administrative offices.
United has been dealing with a series of problems in recent weeks, including a piece of aluminum skin falling off a plane, a tire falling off another plane during takeoff and an engine fire. The Federal Aviation Administration has stepped up its oversight of the airline, and the airline’s CEO has tried to reassure travelers that the airline is safe.
A United spokesman said the airline was conducting its own investigation into the April 10 flight. The airline said the cockpit visit was “a clear violation of our safety and operational policies” and was reported to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“We are deeply troubled by what we see in that video, which appears to show an unauthorized person in the cockpit at cruising altitude with autopilot engaged,” United spokesman Russell Carlton said.
The pilots on the flight have been taken out of service while the airline investigates, Carlton said.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Chris Mullooly said the agency was investigating but did not provide further details because it is an open investigation.
“Federal regulations limit cockpit access to specific individuals,” he said.
The cockpit visit was previously reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Rockies representatives did not immediately respond to emails and phone messages seeking comment. Major League Baseball said it was aware of and was monitoring the Federal Aviation Administration’s investigation.