NIGERIA’s aviation sector was rattled on Friday following revelations by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) that the flight crew of an Air Peace Boeing 737 involved in a runway excursion at Port Harcourt International Airport tested positive for alcohol and hard drugs.
The startling findings were contained in a preliminary report released by the NSIB and signed by Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, and made available to News Point Nigeria.
The serious incident occurred on Sunday, July 13, 2025, when an Air Peace flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt carrying 103 passengers and crew veered off the runway after an unstabilised final approach and a long landing.
According to the NSIB, the aircraft touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold, well beyond the recommended touchdown zone, and eventually came to a halt 209 metres into the clearway.
“The aircraft, operating as a scheduled domestic flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt with 103 persons on board, landed long on Runway 21 after an unstabilised final approach,” the NSIB report stated.
“All passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported.”
While there was no physical damage to the aircraft and no casualties, the incident raised immediate concerns over flight safety and crew performance.
In a dramatic twist, toxicological screenings conducted on the pilots and cabin crew at the Rivers State Hospital Management Board’s Medical Laboratory on the same day revealed that the Captain and First Officer tested positive for Ethyl Glucuronide, a biomarker indicating recent alcohol consumption.
Additionally, a cabin crew member tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis, commonly known as marijuana.
“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 report said.
“These results are being reviewed under the human performance and safety management components of the investigation.”
In response to the findings, the NSIB has issued urgent safety recommendations to Air Peace, directing the airline to:
Strengthen crew resource management (CRM) training, particularly regarding handling unstabilised approaches and go-around decisions.
Reinforce internal crew fitness-for-duty monitoring to ensure that pilots and crew are in the proper physical and mental state before flight dispatch.
A runway excursion occurs when an aircraft overshoots, undershoots, or veers off the runway during takeoff or landing. While sometimes caused by technical faults or poor weather, human factors such as pilot error or impairment are often critical contributors.
Aviation analysts have described the NSIB findings as a “wake-up call” for the entire Nigerian aviation sector.
“Flying under the influence is an unpardonable offence in aviation,” said one aviation safety expert.
“The fact that over 100 lives were at risk that morning is a reminder that regulatory agencies must step up oversight and random drug testing for all crew.”
The NSIB emphasised that its investigation is still ongoing and that its final report will provide a comprehensive analysis of the causes, contributing factors, and recommended systemic safety improvements.
Air Peace has yet to issue an official response to the findings as of press time.