Hensley Meulens, a hitting coach for the Colorado Rockies, was seen in a video that has since been deleted sitting in one of the pilots’ seats during the team’s charter flight from Denver to Toronto. The Federal Aviation Administration is launching an investigation into this incident.
Meulens, 56, was hired by the Rockies in 2022 as their hitting coach. Prior to this role, he had coached for the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants. He also played for two MLB teams and in Japan and Korea between 1989-2000. The video showed him joking about landing the plane while inside the flight deck. However, it is unclear 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 and the FAA are investigating how Meulens gained access to the cockpit of the plane. The pilots have been suspended from flying pending the outcome of the investigation into this incident. United Airlines released a statement expressing deep concern over the video, calling it a clear violation of their safety and operational policies. It is not known if any disciplinary action will be taken against Meulens or if he will be allowed to continue his duties as hitting coach for the Rockies until further notice.