What happened
The aircraft departed Charleston International Airport and encountered smoke within the cockpit shortly after leaving the ground. Due to the hazardous condition, the crew elected to divert to Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The flight landed safely without further incident.
The investigation
Upon arrival, maintenance personnel inspected the aircraft and identified heat damage concentrated around the left utility bus electrical relay. A laboratory examination of the affected components revealed thermal damage, including melting, charring, and arcing. Analysis of this evidence indicated that the thermal event originated either internally or on an external relay terminal.
Findings
The investigation determined that the source of the smoke was the failure of a Hartman electrical relay.