A video has surfaced showing Hensley Meulens, the hitting coach for the Colorado Rockies, sitting in one of the pilot’s seats during a charter flight from Denver to Toronto. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is launching an investigation into this incident.
The footage, which was posted on Instagram by Meulens himself, showed him joking about landing the plane while inside the flight deck. United Airlines, the airline that operated the flight, and the FAA are both investigating how Meulens gained access to the cockpit of the 757 at cruising altitude, which is a violation of company policy and FAA regulations.
United Airlines released a statement expressing deep concern over the video, stating that it was a clear violation of their safety and operational policies. As a result, the pilots have been suspended from flying pending the outcome of the investigation into this incident.
Meulens, who is 56 years old, was hired by the Rockies in 2022 as their hitting coach. Prior to this role, he had coached for several MLB teams including the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants. He also played for two MLB teams and in Japan and Korea between 1989-2000.