Colorado Rockies hitting coach Hensley Meulens was spotted in the cockpit of a United Airlines charter flight in a video that surfaced from the club’s recent road trip to Toronto. As a result, the Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation and the pilots have been “withheld from service” for the time being.
JUST IN — FAA confirms to 9News it's launched an investigation of an "unauthorized peson in the flight deck" during a @united charter flight for Colorado Rockies last week. Video circulating online shows member of Rockies coaching staff in cockpit.
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— Chris Vanderveen (yep…me) (@chrisvanderveen) April 19, 2024
Pilots have been "withheld" from service whle United does its own investigation
FAA only will confirm it's investigating April 10 flight but will not elaborate
— Chris Vanderveen (yep…me) (@chrisvanderveen) April 19, 2024
Here’s Meulens, clear as day (well at night, but you know what I mean), in the cockpit of the United plane.
@united how many FAA rules and United policy did this flight crew break on a charter for Colorado Rockies to Toronto. Allowing anyone in the cockpit while in the air. Ever heard of 9-11. pic.twitter.com/Je8jVer91u
— Ralph T (@RalphatTahoe) April 17, 2024
WILD story. As if the 2024 MLB season isn’t going badly enough for the Rockies, who are tied with the Marlins entering Friday’s slate for the worst record in the National League at 4-15. This off-field distraction certainly won’t help the cause.
Even though autopilot was engaged with Meulens in the pilot’s seat, this just feels like a bad idea by all involved. I don’t know what else to say. The strangest combination of people, places and words in a sports-related news story I’ve seen in a minute, though.
Did not have "Rockies hitting coach Hensley Meulens getting a pilot investigated by the FAA" on my 2024 MLB Bingo Card https://t.co/r9tE3MTqy2
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) April 19, 2024
Can’t help but think of the movie Airplane! when it comes to this bizarre incident. Are there any other scenes from TV or movies in a cockpit that are as good as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trying to convince a kid that he’s a copilot named Roger Murdock? Not for my money.
I remember going into the cockpit as a kid, but that was pre-9/11. To do so nowadays is basically unthinkable. I’m sure there are a bunch of TikToks from the cockpit nowadays or something to simulate the experience.
Other than a cool Friday Night Lights Super Bowl commercial starring Kyle Chandler, it’s been a bit of a tough run for United Airlines in the mass media. They’ve had multiple flights beset by mechanical issues in recent months, and while these incidents are few and far between, the saying, “no press is bad press” most definitely does not apply there.
Will be interesting to see what the FAA investigation turns up about why the pilots/crew thought it was cool to let Meulens into the cockpit and captain the plane for a little while.
