Air Peace Pilots Tested Positive for Alcohol and Cannabis After Port Harcourt Runway Incident – Report

Nigerian accident investigators have revealed that two Air Peace pilots tested positive for alcohol and cannabis following a runway excursion involving one of the airline’s jets in Port Harcourt in July.

In a preliminary report released on Friday, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed that toxicology tests detected intoxicating substances in both the captain and the first officer who operated the Boeing 737, which had 103 people on board. A member of the cabin crew also tested positive for cannabis.

The aircraft, which was on a domestic flight from Lagos, landed late on Runway 21 at Port Harcourt International Airport after what investigators described as an unstabilised final approach.

According to the report, the plane touched down 2,264 meters from the runway threshold and eventually stopped more than 200 meters into the overrun area.

“All passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported,” the bureau stated.

The NSIB noted, “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 psychoactive component in cannabis. These results are being reviewed under the human performance and safety management components of the investigation.”

The report further added, “Toxicological screening conducted after the incident revealed that the captain and first officer tested positive for Ethyl Glucuronide, indicating recent alcohol consumption.”

Runway excursions are among the most common safety risks in commercial aviation and are often caused by poor visibility, pilot error, or technical issues.

The NSIB concluded that the toxicology results indicated that human performance played a critical role in the incident.

In response, the bureau recommended that Air Peace improve its crew resource management training and implement stricter fitness checks for flight crew before dispatch.

Source: Premium Times