 has revealed that an Air Peace pilot and co-pilot tested positive for alcohol, drug){kind=link}
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has revealed that an Air Peace pilot and co-pilot tested positive for alcohol and drugs following a runway incursion at Port Harcourt International Airport.
The preliminary report, signed by the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at NSIB, Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, and made available to The PUNCH on Friday, indicated that the incident occurred on July 13, 2025.
It will be recalled that the Air Peace Boeing 737 aircraft, carrying 103 passengers, veered off the runway after landing at Port Harcourt Airport. No injuries or damages were reported.
An aircraft incursion refers to the wrongful or unauthorised positioning of an airplane on the runway.
While the incidents are commonly caused by miscommunication, technical failures, or runway defects, the NSIB report has now added pilots’ intoxication as a contributing factor.
According to the NSIB report, the flight, operating from Lagos to Port Harcourt, “landed long on Runway 21 after an unstabilised final approach.
“The aircraft touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold and came to a final stop 209 metres into the clearway. All passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported.”
Toxicological tests conducted on the flight crew revealed the presence of alcohol in one member’s system and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active compound in cannabis, in another.
“Initial toxicological tests conducted on the flight crew revealed positive results for certain substances, including indicators of alcohol consumption.
“A cabin crew member also tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis.
“These results are being reviewed under the human performance and safety management components of the investigation.
The NSIB has issued immediate safety recommendations to Air Peace Limited.
“The NSIB has issued immediate safety recommendations for Air Peace Limited to strengthen crew resource management training, particularly in handling unstabilised approaches and go-around decisions, and to reinforce internal procedures for crew fitness-for-duty monitoring before flight dispatch.
“Toxicological test was conducted on the flight crew at Rivers state hospital management, department of medical laboratory, Port Harcourt, on 13th July 2025, and they tested positive for some substances.
“Toxicological screening conducted post-incident revealed that Captain and first officer tested positive for Ethyl Glucuronide, indicating recent alcohol consumption.”