The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation into the Colorado Rockies after one its coaches posted a video from inside the cockpit during flight.
Hitting coach Hensley Muelens posted the video on Instagram after an April 10 team flight. In the video, Muelens can be seen sitting in the cockpit, joking that he’s “flying the plane.” Seating next to him, he said, was the flight’s first officer. He then joked that he planned on landing the plane at the team’s destination. When the woman recording the video asked him what altitude they were at, Muelens said they were at 35,000 feet and started pointing at various instruments in front of him.
“Had some fun in the cockpit on our flight from Denver to Toronto,” Muelens said in the caption of the post. “Thanks to the captain and the first officer of our United charter that allowed me this great experience.”
The Colorado Rockies are under federal investigation after hitting coach Hensley Muelens posted this video in the cockpit of the team’s flight
“We are deeply disturbed by what we see in that video.” -United Airlines spokesperson
(via @chrisvanderveen) pic.twitter.com/4lqcuQyPuz
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 19, 2024
On Thursday, 9News Denver reporter Chris Vanderveen confirmed that the FAA was looking into an “unauthorized person in the flight deck.”
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
In a statement to 9News, United Airlines said the flight was at cruise altitude and autopilot was engaged. Still, United called the act a “clear violation of our safety and operational policies.”
“We are deeply by what we see in that video,” United said.”
“We are deeply disturbed by what we see in that video” a spokeperson for the airline tells 9News
Flight was “at cruise altitude” and autopilot was engaged.
United calls this “a clear violation of our safety and operatonal policies.”
— Chris Vanderveen (yep…me) (@chrisvanderveen) April 19, 2024
The pilots involved have been withheld from service while United conducts its own investigation.
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