Toxicology tests indicated recent alcohol consumption for both pilots of an Air Peace Boeing 737-500 which landed long and overran at Port Harcourt, according to Nigerian investigators.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau states that the first officer made “at least one” go-around call before the captain, who was flying, proceeded to land.
Arriving from Lagos, at 07:46 on 13 July, the aircraft had been conducting an ILS approach to runway 21, which has a length of 3,000m (9,840ft).
According to the captain’s testimony to investigators, the 737 was stable on final approach at 1,000ft above ground, and the autopilot was disengaged at 500ft.
But the aircraft appears to have drifted above the glideslope, and the captain told the inquiry: “By the time I could realise it, I crossed the threshold at 200ft.”
The captain acknowledged that the first officer “told me to go around”, but the captain opted to continue with the landing.
While the cockpit-voice recorder was overwritten, flight-data analysis shows the aircraft touched down 2,264m from the threshold – some three-quarters of the way down the runway – and rolled for 945m.
It overran the runway by more than 200m and came to rest on grass.
None of the 96 passengers and seven crew members was injured. The extent of damage to the aircraft (5N-BQQ) is unclear.
The approach was carried out in daylight, with good visibility and calm conditions.
While the safety bureau is still investigating the overrun, it says Air Peace should “reinforce internal procedures” for determining crew fitness for duty, given the positive tests for “some substances” – including the presence of THC, a component of cannabis, in one of the flight attendants.
Air Peace should also strengthen crew training, it adds, particularly regarding go-around decisions. The cockpit authority gradient was high: a 64-year old captain, who had some 10,000h on type, paired with a 28-year old first officer with about 880h.
