The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has revealed that the pilots of the Air Peace aircraft involved in a runway excursion at the Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025, tested positive for alcohol and other substances.
This was disclosed in the Bureau’s preliminary report released on Friday and signed by Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance.
The incident involved Air Peace Flight P47190, a Boeing 737 operating from Lagos to Port Harcourt with 103 persons on board. The NSIB classified it as a “serious incident.”
Details of the Incident
According to the report, the aircraft landed long on Runway 21 after an unstabilised final approach, touching down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold before coming to a final stop 209 metres into the clearway.
Although the aircraft veered off the runway, it sustained no damage. All passengers and crew disembarked safely, with no injuries reported.
Toxicology Findings
The Bureau disclosed that toxicological tests conducted immediately after the incident returned positive results:
- Captain and First Officer — tested positive for Ethyl Glucuronide, confirming recent alcohol consumption.
- Cabin Crew Member — tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound found in cannabis.
“These results are being assessed within the framework of human performance and safety management, both critical factors in aviation investigations,” the NSIB stated.
Safety Recommendations
In response to the findings, the NSIB has issued urgent safety recommendations to Air Peace, including:
- Strengthening crew resource management (CRM) training, especially in handling unstabilised approaches and go-around decisions.
- Reinforcing internal procedures for monitoring crew fitness-for-duty before flight dispatch.
The Bureau stressed that while no lives were lost in the Port Harcourt incident, the toxicology results raise serious safety concerns requiring strict corrective measures.
