The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has flagged an Air Peace pilot and co-pilot for testing positive for alcohol and other substances following a runway incident at Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13.
According to the bureau’s preliminary report, signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, toxicological examinations confirmed traces of alcohol and other substances in the flight crew.
The incident involved an Air Peace Boeing 737-524 aircraft with registration 5N-BQQ, operating a scheduled Lagos–Port Harcourt service with 103 people onboard. The report stated that the jet made an unstabilised final approach, landed long on Runway 21—about 2,264 metres from the threshold—and eventually stopped 209 metres into the clearway. Fortunately, all passengers and crew disembarked safely without injury.
The NSIB added that one cabin crew member tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active component of cannabis. These findings are being examined as part of the human performance and safety management aspects of the investigation.
As part of its interim recommendations, the Bureau directed Air Peace to strengthen crew resource management (CRM) training, particularly on managing unstabilised approaches and go-around procedures, and to reinforce checks on crew fitness before flight dispatch.
Oladeji emphasised that the document represents initial findings and is subject to further analysis. A final report will provide comprehensive conclusions and additional safety recommendations for Nigeria’s aviation sector.
The NSIB also noted that the full preliminary report has been published on its official website.
The Bureau, Nigeria’s multi-modal transport safety agency, reiterated that its role is not punitive but to identify root causes of accidents and incidents, with the ultimate goal of improving safety standards across the country’s transport systems.