Nigerian carrier Air Peace insists it has strict policies on alcohol use, even though neither pilot of a Boeing 737-500 which overran at Port Harcourt was sanctioned over such.
Toxicology tests after the 13 July incident indicated recent alcohol consumption by both the captain and first officer – while a cabin crew member also tested positive for THC, a component of cannabis.
Air Peace says the captain was relieved from flight duty, and remains so, but this was due to the failure to execute a go-around after the first officer’s call.
It adds that the sanction is “not for testing positive to [the] breathalyser”, stating that this was “not communicated” to the carrier by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
The airline adds that it returned the first officer to flight duty – with “full approval” from the Nigerian civil aviation authority – because he “demonstrated professionalism” by calling for the go-around.
“The [authority] cleared him,” it adds. “If he was involved in drug or alcohol use, the [regulator] would not have cleared him to resume flight duties.”
Air Peace insists it enforces tight regulations against drugs and alcohol, and conducts “frequent” alcohol and drug tests on our crew.
“We have a very strict alcohol-use policy that is stricter than the ‘8h before the flight’ as provided in the regulations,” it says. “Drug use is a no-no.
“If the relieved captain tested positive to the breathalyser test, then we must increase the frequency of our alcohol and drug tests on our crew.”
While arriving from Lagos, the 737 touched down some three-quarters of the way along the runway, and overran by more than 200m. None of the occupants was injured.
