The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has indicted an Air Peace pilot and co-pilot after toxicology tests revealed the presence of alcohol and cannabis in their systems.
The finding followed a runway excursion involving their aircraft at Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025.
According to a preliminary report signed by the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, the two pilots tested positive for substances that impaired their judgment during the flight.
A cabin crew member also tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis.
The Air Peace Boeing 737 was operating a scheduled domestic flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt with 103 passengers on board.
Investigators said the aircraft landed long on Runway 21 after an unstabilised final approach.
It touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold and finally came to a stop 209 metres into the clearway.
While no lives were lost and all passengers and crew disembarked safely, the NSIB noted that the incident posed serious safety concerns.
How the Incident Happened
The aircraft veered off the runway shortly after touchdown, an occurrence known in aviation as a runway excursion.
Though no damage was reported, the event highlighted lapses in pilot decision-making and crew management.
Runway excursions are usually linked to miscommunication, human error, equipment failure, or poor runway conditions.
However, toxicological results now point to alcohol and drug use as contributing factors.
The bureau confirmed that toxicological screening conducted at Rivers State Hospital, Port Harcourt, showed traces of ethyl glucuronide in the captain and first officer, proving recent alcohol consumption. Another crew member tested positive for cannabis.
The statement reads:
“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.”
NSIB stressed that the results are being reviewed under the scope of human performance and safety management, two critical factors in aviation safety investigations.
Following the discovery, the bureau issued immediate safety recommendations to Air Peace.
The airline is expected to strengthen its crew resource management training, enforce stricter go-around protocols for unstable approaches, and reinforce internal monitoring systems to ensure crew fitness before flight dispatch.
This revelation has sparked wider concerns about airline crew discipline and safety standards in Nigeria.
Stakeholders argue that substance use by flight crew represents a major threat to passenger safety and undermines public trust in the aviation industry.
The NSIB said further analysis and recommendations would be released in its final report.
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