Bombardier CL600-2B19 incident near Raleigh Durham, North Carolina, August 13, 2003
On August 13, 2003 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Bombardier CL600-2B19, registered N451CA, suffered minor damage in an incident near Raleigh Durham, North Carolina (Raleigh Durham International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 23 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of a utility bus relay which resulted in an electrical fire and subsequent smoke in the cockpit.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 2003 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Raleigh Durham, North Carolina · Raleigh Durham International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 23 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier CL600-2B19 · all CL600-2B19s on the register
- Registration
- N451CA · registry record · serial 7562
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff from the Charleston International Airport, the crew experienced smoke in the cockpit. The flight diverted to Raleigh Durham International Airport, and landed without further incident. Maintenance personnel found heat damage that centered around the left utility bus electrical relay. The laboratory's examination revealed that all of the thermal damage, melting, charring and arcing, evidence showed that thermal event originated internally or on an external relay terminal. The source of the smoke was found to be the failure of a Hartman electrical relay.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,572 hours in all; 4,951 in this make and model; 248 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 5,264 as pilot in command; 617 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,300 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,450 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 1, 2003; 210 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 53,000 lb
- Seats: 43
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF34-3B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF34-3B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHS Charleston SC at 3:15 pm
- Destination: LGA La Guardia NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from RDU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 20 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.