The pilot of the flight that flew past its destination Wednesday claimed in preliminary hearings that he and his co-pilot were headed for Larimer County, Colorado, "in search of 'balloon boy'."
The pilot testified Saturday during the first phase of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigation, flanked by his first officer and attorney Freddie B. Sloan.
The flight overshot its destination airport by 150 miles, continuing northeast in the direction where balloon boy was first reported lost.
When confronted by presiding judge Regina F. X. Fillbin that the balloon boy incident was exposed as a hoax a week ago, the pilots went into a huddle with their lawyer, whose hand quickly covered the microphone.
"Uh, we forgot the real reason, yeah," the pilot countered. "We both ... uhhh ... suddenly got ... swine flu. Yeah, that's it! And it ... distracted us. Yeah, that's the ticket!" He went on, "It dis-traaacted us."
"Is that your final answer?" asked Judge Fillbin, clearly exasperated.
"Yeah, that's it. Swine flu! Yeah!" answered the co-pilot, as the other pair nodded vigorously in assent, their eyes bugging out like Jon Lovitz's.
The lawyer for the pilots then stated that there would be no further comment, and the hearing concluded for the day.
The next phase of the investigation will commence Tuesday morning.
