The Federation Aviation Administration is launching an investigation after a since-deleted video was posted showing Colorado Rockies hitting coach Hensley Meulens inside the flight deck during the team’s charter flight from Denver to Toronto last week.
United Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating how a passenger gained access to the cockpit of a 757 at cruise altitude in violation of the company’s policy and FAA regulations. pic.twitter.com/E2yQwSbEy8
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) April 19, 2024
The since-deleted video was shared by Meulens on Instagram and shows him sitting in one of the pilots’ seats and joking about landing the plane.
“We are deeply disturbed by what we see in that video,” United Airlines said in a statement to 9NEWS. What happened was “a clear violation of our safety and operational policies.”
According to the airline, the plane was at cruising altitude and autopilot was engaged while Meulens was in the cockpit. The pilots have been “withheld” from flying as United conducts an investigation.
The Rockies had wrapped up a six-game homestand ahead of their flight to Toronto last week to begin a six-game road trip.
Meulens, 56, was hired by the Rockies as their hitting coach in Nov. 2022. He had previously served as a coach for the New York Yankees, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. Prior to becoming a coach, he played for two MLB teams, as well as in Japan and Korea between 1989-2000.
