Air Peace reacts, says pilot sacked but not for alcohol

Nigeria’s carrier, Air Peace, has reacted to the report indicting its crew by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), saying the captain of the affected B737 aircraft had been grounded and relieved from further flight duty for failure to adhere to Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles.

The airline says this just as it said it was unaware that the pilots and a crew, as claimed by NSIB, were guilty of alcohol and cannabis abuse, respectively as the report claims.

Air Peace said following the incident involving its aircraft on July 13, 2025 where one of its B737 aircraft skidded into the bush at the Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, the captain of the affected flight was sacked while the co-pilot was retained.

The airline, in a statement, said that the captain was suspended for disregarding standard go-around procedures as advised by his co-pilot, but not for testing positive on a breathalyser test, as the result was not communicated to the airline by the NSIB to date.

It further stated that contrary to reports in the media, the First Officer (Co-pilot), who demonstrated professionalism in calling for a go-around to his captain, was reinstated into active flying duties, with full approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The NCAA, it said, cleared him, adding that if he were involved in drug or alcohol use, the aviation regulatory body would not have cleared him to resume flight duties.

“However, if the relieved captain tested positive on the breathalyser test, then we must increase the frequency of our alcohol and drug tests on our crew. Again, the importance of Enhanced Crew Resource Management Training cannot be overemphasised.”

“We will intensify strict fitness-for-Duty checks and Stronger Internal Monitoring to prevent any breach of our zero-tolerance safety policy. Air Peace has consistently maintained a strong safety record and strictly implements global best practices in all aspects of its operations. We reassure our esteemed passengers and the Nigerian public that safety will never be compromised in Air Peace”.

On Thursday, the NSIB in its preliminary report of the incident chided the airline for violating safety procedures, attributing the serious incident involving an Air Peace B737-500 to the ingestion of alcohol by the pilots of the aircraft and a cabin crew member who also tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis.

The accident investigative body further stated that what was meant to be a routine flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt turned into a serious safety concern after investigators discovered that both pilots had consumed alcohol before the flight.

According to the NSIB, the aircraft departed Lagos with 96 passengers and seven crew members on board. Conditions in Port Harcourt were good, with clear skies, calm weather and daylight visibility.

Investigators explained that the aircraft was stable on approach until it got close to landing, adding that at 1,000 feet above the ground, the situation appeared normal, and the captain disconnected the autopilot at 500 feet to complete the landing manually. Shortly after, the aircraft drifted above the normal landing path.

“The captain later admitted that by the time he realised, the aircraft was already too high. It crossed the runway threshold at about 200 feet, which is much higher than the recommended landing height. The first officer, who was younger and had less than 900 hours of flying experience, told the captain to go around and attempt another landing. This is a standard safety procedure, but the captain, an older and highly experienced pilot with over 10,000 hours on the Boeing 737, decided to.

It noted that the decision proved costly, stressing that the aircraft touched down almost three-quarters of the way down the 3,000 metre runway, leaving very little space to slow down.

“It rolled for almost another kilometre before overshooting the runway and stopping on the grass. Thankfully, there were no injuries, and passengers disembarked safely.”

“After the incident, the crew underwent toxicology tests. Investigators confirmed that both pilots tested positive for alcohol. Even more worrying, one of the flight attendants tested positive for cannabis. This discovery has raised serious concerns about discipline, professionalism and safety culture.”

The report also highlighted the authority gap in the cockpit, with a 64-year-old captain commanding a young first officer; the balance of power was steep.

The Safety Bureau advised Air Peace to strengthen its internal checks to ensure all crew members are fit for duty before flights. It also urged the airline to reinforce training on go-around procedures, stressing that no pilot should hesitate to abandon a poor approach and try again.

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