THE Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has revealed that an Air Peace pilot and co-pilot tested positive for alcohol and hard drugs following a runway incident involving the airline at the Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025.
According to a preliminary report released today by the NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, toxicology tests carried out on the crew confirmed the presence of alcohol and cannabis compounds in their systems.
The report stated that the Boeing 737 aircraft, which was carrying 103 passengers on a scheduled flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt, experienced an “unstabilised final approach” and landed long on Runway 21.
The plane touched down 2,264 metres beyond the runway threshold and eventually stopped 209 metres into the clearway.
Although the aircraft veered off the runway, no damage was recorded, and all passengers and crew disembarked safely without injuries.
The bureau explained that toxicological screening conducted immediately after the incident showed traces of ethyl glucuronide — a marker of recent alcohol intake — in both the captain and first officer, while a cabin crew member tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
NSIB emphasized that these findings are being examined under human performance and safety management standards, both of which are critical in aviation safety investigations.
As part of its preliminary recommendations, the bureau directed Air Peace to strengthen crew resource management training, particularly in managing unstabilised approaches and go-around procedures, and to reinforce internal monitoring of crew fitness before flight operations.
Further details are expected as the investigation continues.