The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has revealed that Air Peace flight crew members tested positive for alcohol and cannabis following a serious aviation incident at Port Harcourt airport on July 13, 2025.
According to the NSIB’s preliminary report, crew members from the Boeing 737-524 aircraft (registration 5N-BQQ) showed positive results in toxicological tests, with one cabin crew member specifically testing positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis. The results indicated alcohol consumption among flight crew members.
The Incident
The Air Peace flight, carrying 103 passengers and crew from Lagos to Port Harcourt, experienced an unstabilized approach and landed long on Runway 21 at Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo International Airport. The aircraft touched down 2,264 meters from the runway threshold and came to a final stop 209 meters into the clearway area.
All passengers and crew disembarked safely with no reported injuries.
NSIB Recommendations
The safety bureau has issued immediate recommendations for Air Peace to:
- Strengthen crew resource management (CRM) training, particularly for handling unstabilized approaches and go-around decisions
- Reinforce internal procedures for monitoring crew fitness-for-duty before flight dispatch
NSIB Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Bimbo Olawunmi Oladeji, emphasised that the toxicology results are being reviewed as part of the human performance and safety management investigation components.
Air Peace Response
Air Peace management has disputed aspects of the report, stating they have not received official communication from NSIB regarding these findings over a month after the incident occurred.
The airline maintains it has strict policies regarding substance use, claiming their alcohol policy is “stricter than the 8 hours before flight” regulation, with drug use being completely prohibited.
Following the incident, Air Peace took disciplinary action:
- The captain was grounded and removed from flight duties for failing to follow crew resource management principles and disregarding go-around procedures
- The First Officer, who called for a go-around, was reinstated to active flying duties with Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority approval
The airline emphasised its commitment to safety and stated it would increase the frequency of alcohol and drug testing for crew members while intensifying fitness-for-duty checks and internal monitoring procedures.
The final NSIB report with detailed conclusions and additional safety recommendations is expected to be released following completion of the investigation.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
