A co-pilot with Air Peace, David Bernard, has broken his silence over the recent runway incident involving one of the airline’s aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State. Bernard claims he advised the captain to abort the landing due to an unstable approach, but the warning was ignored.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, the co-pilot explained that the incident occurred on July 13, 2025, during a flight into Port Harcourt under good weather and clear visibility.
According to Bernard, everything went smoothly during the descent until the aircraft reached 500 feet above the ground—just moments before landing.
“I was the Pilot Monitoring Officer on that day,” he said. “The weather was good and visibility was clear. Everything was going well until we reached 500 feet. At that point, the captain disconnected the autopilot and decided to land the plane manually.”
Bernard said that once the autopilot was turned off, he noticed the captain was not aligned with the proper approach path. “He was becoming high on the approach,” he said. “I advised him, ‘Commander, you are high for this approach, we should initiate a go-around.’ But he didn’t listen to me.”
A go-around is a standard aviation procedure where pilots abort the landing if the approach is not stable, and circle back to try again. It is done to ensure a safe landing and is a routine safety measure, especially when landing conditions are not ideal.
Bernard said the aircraft crossed the runway at about 200 feet instead of the expected lower height and landed far beyond the runway threshold—closer to the middle of the runway than the beginning.
“By the time we landed, it was already past the halfway point of the runway,” he explained. “The captain was also reluctant to engage the reverse thrust, which helps slow down the aircraft after landing.”
Seeing the danger, Bernard said he had to manually activate the reverse thrust system himself to bring the plane to a stop.
The July 13 incident has raised questions about cockpit communication, pilot judgment, and standard operating procedures within the airline.
The flight, operated by Air Peace, had reportedly landed hard and used up most of the runway before coming to a halt. While there were no casualties, passengers were said to be shaken by the experience, and industry observers quickly began asking what went wrong.
Aviation authorities are expected to investigate the matter further, especially following the co-pilot’s statement. The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has not yet released an official report, but insider sources say a routine review is ongoing.
Air Peace is one of Nigeria’s largest airlines and has recently expanded into international routes. The airline has built a reputation for being one of the more reliable carriers in the country, but safety concerns like this can tarnish its image if not handled properly.
They stress the importance of a safety-first culture in aviation, where junior officers must be empowered to speak up and be heard when something doesn’t seem right.
“The fact that the co-pilot raised the alarm and was ignored should be taken very seriously,” one retired pilot told this newspaper. “That kind of breakdown in communication can be fatal.”
As the investigation continues, all eyes are now on Air Peace and the NCAA for their next steps. Industry watchers say this could lead to new training protocols, disciplinary actions, or a full review of the flight’s black box data to confirm the co-pilot’s account.
