*Air Peace Airlines Limited reacts to a preliminary report, which the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has released over an incident involving the airline’s aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport July 13, 2025

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Air Peace Airlines Limited, a leading Nigerian avaition firm, has reacted to recent media reports resulting from a preliminary report the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) released over an incident involving the airline’s aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport July 13, 2025.

绿帽献妻 reports the NSIB Friday, September 12, 2025, in the preliminary report, indicted an Air Peace pilot and a Co-pilot for taking hard drugs and alcohol on the flight during the incident.

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The aviation sector regulatory agency also noted it tested the crew positive for the substances after the aircraft they flew was involved in a runway excursion at the Port Harcourt International Airport July this year.

The aircraft had veered off the runway without any damage.

An aircraft incursion has been described as the wrongful or unauthorised positioning of an airplane at the runway.

Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, signed and made available the report to the media Friday.

The incident at Port Harcourt International Airport reportedly involved a go-around manoeuvre initiated by the co-pilot after the captain allegedly failed to adhere to standard landing procedures.

Reports as well suggested that alcohol consumption may have been a factor, citing a breathalyser test.

The NSIB also stated in the report: 鈥淭he 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.

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“The aircraft touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold and came to a final stop 209 metres into the clearway

鈥淎ll passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported.鈥�

The NSIB report indicated that the domestic flight, which took off from Lagos, in the South-West region, experienced an unstabilised final approach before landing long on Runway 21 at the Port-Harcourt International Airport.

It further disclosed the aircraft touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold, well beyond the recommended touchdown zone, and eventually came to a stop at 209 metres into the clearway.

Though all passengers on board disembarked safely after the incident, the occurrence raised immediate safety concerns in the Nigerian aviation industry.

Highlights of test procedure, by NSIB

According to NSIB, the preliminary reports indicated the toxicological test results conducted on the flight crew turned out positive.

The tests, the Bureau stated, also showed the presence of alcohol in the system of the crew, while another crew member also tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active compound found in cannabis, colloquially referred to as 鈥淚ndia hemp鈥�.

The NSIB said the toxicology results were being assessed within the scope of human performance and safety management, both critical factors in aviation incident investigations.

Air Peace: No official communications from Bureau in report

The Management of Air Peace, in a statement, shared on the company’s official X account Friday, September 12, 2025, however, said: 鈥淥ur attention has been drawn to media stories on a purported preliminary report by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) currently circulating online and in the media regarding the incident involving one of our aircraft at Port Harcourt July 13, 2025.

鈥淲e are yet to receive any official communications from the NSIB on such findings over a month after the incident and after the testing of the crew for alcohol, which took place in less than an hour of the incident.鈥�

The local carrier also stressed that it places the highest priority on safety, transparency, and compliance, describing the said NSIB preliminary report as misleading.

Air Peace noted: 鈥淎s a responsible airline, we place utmost priority on safety, transparency, and compliance, and it is important to set the record straight.”

The carrier further highlighted the company’s internal policies on crew discipline.

It averred: 鈥淎ir Peace conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on our crew.

“We have a very strict alcohol use policy that is stricter than the 8 hours before the flight as provided in the regulations. Drug use is a NO-NO!鈥�

In regard to details of actions Air Peace has taken after the Port Harcourt incident, the carrier disclosed the captain of the affected flight was grounded.

The statement explained: 鈥淭he captain of the affected flight was grounded, and relieved from further flight duty till date for failure to adhere to Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles and for disregarding standard go-around procedures as advised by his co-pilot but not for testing positive to the breathalyser test, as the result was not communicated to us by NSIB to date.”

On pilots’ professional conduct during incident in Port-Harcourt

In connection with the response of the airline’s pilots during the Port Harcourt incident, Air Peace defended the co-pilot, and said he acted professionally during the incident.

It also said: 鈥淐ontrary to reports in the media, the First Officer (Co-pilot), who demonstrated professionalism in calling for a go-around to his captain, has been reinstated into active flying duties, with full approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

鈥淭he NCAA cleared him. If he was involved in drug or alcohol use, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority would not have cleared him to resume flight duties.”

The airline contended that if the relieved captain鈥檚 test result later proves positive, then it would 鈥渋ncrease the frequency of our alcohol and drug tests on our crew.鈥�

Air Peace emphasised the significance of retraining and stricter monitoring going forward.

The statement noted: 鈥淎gain, the importance of Enhanced Crew Resource Management Training cannot be over-emphasised.

“We will intensify strict Fitness-for-Duty checks and Stronger Internal Monitoring to prevent any breach of our zero-tolerance safety policy.”

Reassuring passengers and the Nigerian air travellers, the domestic airline said: 鈥淎ir Peace has consistently maintained a strong safety record and strictly implements global best practices in all aspects of its operations, and we reassure our esteemed passengers and the Nigerian public that safety will never be compromised in Air Peace.鈥�

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