NSIB Report: Alcohol, Drugs, And Cockpit Authority Failures Behind Air Peace Runway Incident

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has released its findings on the July 13 incident involving an Air Peace Boeing 737-500 that overran the runway at Port Harcourt International Airport.

The aircraft, which departed Lagos with 96 passengers and seven crew members, landed nearly three-quarters down the 3,000-metre runway, making it impossible to stop safely. The jet eventually came to a halt on the grass verge. All passengers disembarked without injury.

Investigators, however, uncovered a disturbing detail: both pilots tested positive for alcohol, while a flight attendant tested positive for cannabis. The Bureau described this as a grave breach of discipline, professionalism, and safety culture within the airline.

The report also revealed a cockpit authority gap. While the younger first officer advised a go-around when the aircraft crossed the runway threshold too high, the captain—a 64-year-old with over 10,000 flight hours—insisted on continuing the landing. Safety experts warn that such dynamics can fatally undermine decision-making in critical moments.

The Bureau has directed Air Peace to tighten crew fitness checks and reinforce training on go-around procedures, stressing that abandoning an unstable approach is a vital safeguard.

Though no lives were lost, regulators emphasize that aviation demands absolute discipline. The incident, they note, is a stark reminder: alcohol, drugs, and flying are a deadly mix.