The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA), has stated that there is no tangible evidence against Air Peace co-pilot, David Bernard, in the recent Port Harcourt airport runway incursion incident.
This came after the NCAA declared that neither its own inquiry nor the report from the Nigerian Safety inquiry Bureau (NSIB) indicted him.
Recall that the Air Peace plane went off the runway while landing at Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025.
According to the NSIB’s preliminary investigation, the plane landed 2,264 away beyond the runway threshold, much farther than the recommended touchdown zone and finally stopped 209 meters inside the clearway.
The Bureau’s initial inquiry also revealed that the Air Peace flight crew’s initial toxicological testing showed positive results for a number of drugs, including markers of alcohol consumption.
It added that A cabin crew member also tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis.
The NCAA claimed on its X space that it followed due process based on the information at hand and internal investigations, despite the airline employees and crew having contested the test result.
Michael Achimugu, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, made this revelation.
“I learnt yesterday that the NCAA was being blamed for giving clearance to the first officer. But based on the NCAA internal findings and the NSIB preliminary report, the co-pilot was not found culpable.
“In fact, he advised the captain to go around, which the captain did not heed. Given that, we believe it is unjust to keep someone grounded for a year while an investigation is ongoing if there is no evidence of wrongdoing.
“I have reached out to the NSIB and spoken to their team, but I’m still waiting for comprehensive feedback,” he said.
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