Top Airline Pilot Accused of Flying Under Influence of Cannabls, Alcohol after Boeing 737 incident
- Air Peace Boeing 737 pilots tested positive for alcohol, while a cabin crew member tested positive for cannabls after a July 13 incident in Port Harcourt
- The aircraft, carrying 103 passengers, landed long and veered off Runway 21 before coming to a halt; all on board disembarked safely
- Investigators issued urgent recommendations to Air Peace to improve crew training, monitoring, and fitness-for-duty checks
FCT, Abuja – The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has revealed in a report that the pilot and co-pilot of an Air Peace Boeing 737 operated under the influence of alcohol and cannabls.
This revelation came after a serious incident at Port Harcourt International Airport.
Source: Twitter
Boeing 737 incident: Aircraft veered off runway
Legit.ng reports that the July 13 flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt, carried about 103 passengers. However, it veered off Runway 21 in what investigators described as an “unstabilised final approach.”
The NSIB stated in its preliminary report, signed by the director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, saying:
“The aircraft landed long, touching down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold, and eventually came to a stop 209 metres into the clearway."
NSIB report says crew disembarked safely
The report further noted that although all passengers and crew disembarked safely and no injuries were reported, the incident sparked grave safety concerns.
NSIB report says tests reveal alcohol, substance use
The report noted that toxicological screening conducted on each of the flight crew members revealed alcohol consumption by both the captain including the first officer, Punch reported.
Furthermore, a cabin crew member tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabls.
“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 bureau confirmed.
The bureau said the toxicology results were being examined “within the scope of human performance and safety management, both critical factors in aviation incident investigations.”
NSIB issues safety recommendations
Source: Getty Images
Following the findings, the NSIB has directed Air Peace to urgently review its crew fitness protocols, Vanguard reported.
“The NSIB has issued immediate safety recommendations for Air Peace Limited to strengthen crew resource management training, particularly in handling unstabilised approaches and go-around decisions, and to reinforce internal procedures for crew fitness-for-duty monitoring before flight dispatch,” the statement read.
Aviation experts noted that runway incursions are usually linked to miscommunication, equipment failure, or poor runway conditions. However, with this revelation, pilot intoxication is now an added concern.
Lady shares experience with Air Peace
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a young Nigerian lady shared an interesting video about her experience with Air Peace International.
The passenger's journey was upgraded to business class, a gesture that left her beaming with happiness. The lady, known on TikTok as @namedsosa, took to the social media platform to share her experience.
In the video posted via TikTok, the lady said that she was upgraded to business class after her flight got delayed.
Source: Legit.ng
