Air Peace Challenges NSIB Report Alleging Crew Tested Positive for Alcohol, Cannabis

Air Peace has reacted to the preliminary report released by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on the July 13 incident involving one of its Boeing 737 aircraft during a Lagos–Port Harcourt flight.

The management of Air Peace has reacted to the preliminary report released by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on the July 13, 2025 incident involving its Boeing 737-524 aircraft, with registration number 5N-BQQ, during a Lagos–Port Harcourt flight.

According to the NSIB, toxicology tests revealed that members of the flight crew tested positive for alcohol consumption, while a cabin crew member tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis. The aircraft, which had 103 passengers on board, reportedly landed long on Runway 21 at Port Harcourt after an unstabilised final approach, touching down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold and finally stopping 209 metres into the clearway. Fortunately, no injuries were recorded.

In its preliminary findings, NSIB disclosed that the results were still being reviewed under the human performance and safety management components of the investigation. It also issued immediate safety recommendations for Air Peace to strengthen Crew Resource Management (CRM) training, particularly in handling unstabilised approaches and go-around decisions, and to reinforce internal procedures for crew fitness-for-duty monitoring before flight dispatch.

However, Air Peace in its response expressed shock that it had not been officially informed by the Bureau about the toxicology results, more than a month after the incident.

The airline stressed that it operates with strict policies on drug and alcohol use, which are even more stringent than the industry’s standard eight-hour pre-flight alcohol restriction.

“Our attention has been drawn to media stories on a purported preliminary report by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB)… We are yet to receive any official communications from the NSIB on such findings over a month after the incident,” the airline said in a statement.

Air Peace further disclosed that it had already grounded the captain of the affected flight, not for failing an alcohol test, but for disregarding go-around procedures despite his co-pilot’s advice.

“The 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… but not for testing positive to breathalyser test as the result was not communicated to us by NSIB to date,” the airline explained.

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The airline added that the First Officer, who demonstrated professionalism by calling for a go-around, had been reinstated with the full approval of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

“Contrary to reports in the media, the First Officer… has been reinstated into active flying duties, with full approval from the NCAA. If he was involved in drug or alcohol use, the NCAA would not have cleared him to resume flight duties,” the statement continued.

Air Peace reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy on drug use, pledged to intensify alcohol and drug testing for its crew, and emphasised plans to strengthen CRM training and internal monitoring.

“Air 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,” the statement concluded.