CHICAGO- United Airlines (UA) terminated two pilots after a 2024 Colorado Rockies charter flight from Denver (DEN) to Toronto (YYZ) went viral, when a sports coach was filmed sitting in the captain’s seat during cruise.
The fired first officer has now shared his account, revealing that the cockpit door was left open from departure on the captain’s instructions. The incident is gaining renewed attention amid an ongoing whistleblower hearing examining charter flight safety practices.
Inside The United Airlines Cockpit Incident
The first officer met the captain in the preflight briefing room as he would on any standard flight. After arriving at the aircraft, he stored his belongings, completed preflight checks, and performed the walk-around inspection.
Upon returning to the cockpit, he found the captain and flight attendants conducting their briefing, where he overheard the captain and the lead flight attendant agreeing to leave the flight deck door open throughout the flight.
He initially assumed this would be a normal operation, simply with celebrities onboard. After questioning the decision, the captain referenced a 2019 Denver Broncos charter where she had served as first officer.
During that flight, she stated a team member occupied the jumpseat from departure through landing, while other players visited the cockpit to take photos and videos.
The captain held nearly 25 years of experience at United Airlines (UA), had served as a company instructor teaching new hires the Flight Operations Manual (FOM), and was a recipient of the United 100 award given to top employees.
The first officer had been with United for 15 months at the time and had completed probation, but this was his first sports charter at any airline.
Lead Flight Attendant Confirmed Practice
With the team running late before departure, the first officer went to the cabin for water and food.
He approached the lead flight attendant, who was part of a dedicated Colorado Rockies charter crew.
She confirmed that keeping the door open and bringing team members into the flight deck during flight for greetings and photos was standard practice on charter operations.
With both the experienced training captain and the dedicated charter flight attendant endorsing the same policy, the first officer set aside his hesitations.
How The Coach Ended Up In Captain’s Seat
Approximately 35 minutes after departure, the Colorado Rockies coach was escorted to the flight deck by the same flight attendant who would later record the viral video.
The captain invited him to sit in the jumpseat behind the first officer, as the jumpseat behind the captain’s seat was latched and unusable.
The coach discussed his playing and coaching career while asking aviation-related questions, and began taking photos and videos of the flight deck.
After roughly 30 minutes, the captain announced she needed to use the restroom and left without calling a flight attendant to maintain the 2 person cockpit policy. The door remained open.
The first officer was alone with the coach for about 20 seconds until a flight attendant arrived to satisfy the rule.
During that period, the first officer received an air traffic control communication regarding turbulence.
While he was checking turbulence at different altitudes on his iPad and programming the aircraft for a new altitude, the coach moved from the jumpseat into the captain’s seat.
The flight attendant began recording video, with the coach demonstrating familiarity with operating the captain’s control seat, raising suspicion that he had done this before.
First Officer’s Reflection On The Moment
According to OMAAT, the first officer admitted he initially froze and acknowledged his biggest mistake was failing to instruct the coach to return to the jumpseat.
He stated the situation seemed wrong, but everyone around him appeared comfortable, and he did not listen to his intuition. The flight attendant was actively encouraging the coach while filming.
A second member of the Colorado Rockies briefly entered the flight deck during the recording.
According to that player’s statement, the captain was already out of the bathroom and standing near the flight deck door as he entered and exited, contradicting reports that the door had been closed when she stepped away. The captain’s voice could be heard from the galley during the incident.
When the captain returned, the coach was lifting himself out of her seat. The two shook hands, and she showed no apparent objection to what had occurred.
Systemic Charter Operation Failures
An email from the head of the United pilot union’s Central Air Safety Committee acknowledged that the open cockpit door reflected a systemic problem in charter operations.
The committee noted that an internal review uncovered serious issues, and the FAA reportedly reached the same conclusion.
Part 121 regulations govern scheduled passenger operations and prohibit unauthorized individuals from occupying flight deck seats during flight.
Charter operations conducted by major airlines fall under the same regulatory framework, meaning crews cannot arbitrarily adopt different procedures.
The airline industry typically maintains a zero-tolerance approach to actions that compromise safety margins, making this oversight unusual.
Reports indicate this open door practice has existed for years across many airlines, not just United, with the world’s largest carriers apparently taking no corrective action.
Captain’s Prior History And Video Evidence
According to a statement provided to the FAA, the captain confirmed she had allowed similar cockpit access during a Denver Broncos charter years earlier.
In the recorded video, the captain appears comfortable with the unfolding situation, while the first officer visibly looks uncomfortable throughout.
Scapegoating Concerns Grow
The first officer’s account suggests both pilots are being held accountable for practices that were widely accepted across charter operations.
With an experienced training captain and a dedicated charter flight attendant both endorsing the open-door practice, a junior first officer faced significant pressure to accept the arrangement.
The original viral X post questioned how many FAA rules and United policies were broken on the flight, with users referencing post-9/11 cockpit security standards.
The captain’s failure to maintain the 2 person cockpit rule when leaving for the restroom remains a separate procedural violation, independent of the systemic open-door issue.
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