The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, has confirmed that two members of crew members of an Air Peace aircraft recently involved in a runway incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport tested positive for alcohol and drugs.
The development has raised serious questions about crew discipline, passenger safety, and internal monitoring procedures within Nigeria’s largest commercial airline.
The NSIB report, released on Friday and signed by Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, revealed that toxicology tests carried out on the captain, first officer, and a cabin crew member indicated the presence of prohibited substances.
The captain and co-pilot both tested positive for alcohol, while a cabin crew member tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol, the active compound in cannabis.
The incident occurred on July 13, 2025, when a Boeing 737 aircraft operated by Air Peace veered off Runway 21 at Port Harcourt after an unstabilised approach.
The aircraft, which had departed from Lagos with 103 people on board, touched down far beyond the recommended zone—2,264 metres from the threshold—and eventually came to a halt 209 metres into the clearway.
Fortunately, no lives were lost and all passengers and crew disembarked safely, but the event immediately drew attention from aviation authorities.
Runway excursions and incursions are among the most serious safety risks in aviation, often caused by miscommunication, equipment malfunction, or pilot error.
The NSIB report has now added pilot intoxication to that list in Nigeria. According to the bureau, the crew’s impaired condition could have compromised decision-making, situational awareness, and ability to recover from an unstable landing.
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In response to the findings, the NSIB issued immediate safety recommendations to Air Peace Limited.
These include strengthening crew resource management training, ensuring stricter monitoring of crew fitness-for-duty before dispatch, and reinforcing go-around protocols when an approach becomes unstable.
The bureau also urged the airline to improve its internal compliance systems to ensure that alcohol and drug testing procedures are more effectively implemented.
The toxicological tests were conducted on the same day of the incident by the Rivers State Hospital Management’s Department of Medical Laboratory in Port Harcourt.
Results confirmed the presence of Ethyl Glucuronide, a biomarker that indicates recent alcohol consumption, in the pilots’ systems.
While no passengers were injured, the incident has reignited public concerns about aviation safety oversight in Nigeria. Air Peace, as the country’s largest airline, plays a critical role in domestic connectivity, and any lapse in safety is bound to attract scrutiny.
Industry analysts argue that the case underscores the need for more rigorous, randomised testing of airline staff and stricter penalties for breaches of safety standards.
The NSIB stressed that its investigation is still preliminary and that further analysis will determine the extent to which substance use contributed to the incident.
Nonetheless, the bureau said it considered the matter grave enough to make urgent recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.
As investigations continue, the spotlight remains on Air Peace to restore confidence among its passengers and to demonstrate compliance with international aviation safety practices.
News Express
