Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said its investigation did not find the Air Peace co-pilot culpable in the Port Harcourt runway excursion of July 13.
Gatekeepers News reports that the aircraft had veered off the runway after landing at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
Speaking during an X space session on Saturday, Michael Achimugu, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, explained that investigators only found issues with the captain, who has since been retired.
He said, “The co-pilot, I was told yesterday that the NCAA is being blamed for giving him clearance, reinstating his license. The preliminary reports did not indict the guy. Our own investigations also did not show the co-pilot culpable in that incident.”
“He did what he was supposed to do. He told the captain to go around. Captain did not. If the investigation is going to last for a year, you don’t keep someone who is not culpable waiting for a year for the completion of investigations.”
Achimugu also questioned aspects of the toxicology process. He said, “For medical tests like this in aviation, there are NCAA-approved medical facilities that must run those tests.”
“For alcohol, breathalysers are used. And those breathalysers must be calibrated according to the specifications of the regulations. The question to be begged is, was it that kind of breathalyser that was used, or why blood?”
The NCAA spokesman stressed that there were still unanswered questions, particularly from Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), which had alleged that Air Peace crew tested positive for alcohol.
Achimugu added that the NSIB failed to share its toxicology report with NCAA before making it public. He said, “The report only came to us after they had gone to press. Our duty here is to examine the issues, and we must write an LOI to the airline. When you write an LOI to the airline, you have seven days to respond at the most. Yesterday was Friday.”
The spokesman explained that the NCAA is still reviewing the report and the airline’s response. He said, “If they (NSIB) have given us some time to look into the issue, we would be able to have a proper response immediately as theirs was coming out.”
Achimugu said additional medical tests had been carried out under NCAA supervision and that the results are being reviewed by the Director-General of Civil Aviation.
He urged the public to remain patient until the NCAA issues its official position, after which further discussions can take place.
