# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-74-031

**Citation:** P-74-031  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1974-08-21  
**Published:** 1974-08-21

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS GAS PIPING STANDARDS COMMITTEE: DEVELOP GUIDELINES TO AID PIPELINE OPERATORS DETERMINE WHEN TO CONDUCT LEAKAGE SURVEYS ON VARIOUS TYPES OF PIPE. THESE GUIDELINES SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AGE OF PIPE, GENERAL CONDITION OF PIPE, CLASS LOCATION OF PIPE AND METALLURGY OF PIPE.

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-74-031.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS GAS PIPING STANDARDS COMMITTEE: DEVELOP GUIDELINES TO AID PIPELINE OPERATORS DETERMINE WHEN TO CONDUCT LEAKAGE SURVEYS ON VARIOUS TYPES OF PIPE. THESE GUIDELINES SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AGE OF PIPE, GENERAL CONDITION OF PIPE, CLASS LOCATION OF PIPE AND METALLURGY OF PIPE.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1974-08-21

Adopted Date: 1974-08-21

Overall Date Closed: 1979-02-06

Synopsis: On December 2, 1973, an explosion followed by an intense fire killed three persons, injured two others, and destroyed a house on the outskirts of Charleston, W. Va. Fire, fueled by natural gas which had saturated the soil, later rekindled briefly in the ground around the house.

Ntsbnumber: PLD74XR008

Report Number: PAR-74-04

Addressee Name: American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1979-02-06

Addressee Acronym: ASME

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1974-10-16

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ASME LTR: ASME IS PRESENTLY COMPLETING WORK ON GUIDELINES FOR 192.615(D), TO ESTABLISH AN ADDITIONAL PROGRAM TO ENABLE CUSTOMERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO RECOGNIZE AND REPORT A GAS EMERGENCY TO THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS. 9/6/78 - ASME LTR: GUIDE MATERIAL FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS ADOPTED UNDER 192.723 ADDENDA NO. 6, JULY 1977, AND APPEARED IN THE GUIDE IN JULY 1977.

Addressee Acronym: ASME

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1978-05-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-74-031>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `3ce9884cdc8d0b27bc4733c2f033f1eec27d5f4429d2fdea723b20474ef497ff`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-26T14:43:46.918Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-74-031`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-74-031",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "PLD74XR008",
  "priority": "CLASS II",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1979-02-06",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15",
  "reportNumber": "PAR-74-04",
  "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/PLD74XR008.aspx",
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P74_29_36.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "American Society of Mechanical Engineers",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CNLA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed--No Longer Applicable",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1979-02-06",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "ASME",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1974-10-16",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "ASME LTR: ASME IS PRESENTLY COMPLETING WORK ON GUIDELINES FOR 192.615(D), TO ESTABLISH AN ADDITIONAL PROGRAM TO ENABLE CUSTOMERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO RECOGNIZE AND REPORT A GAS EMERGENCY TO THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS. 9/6/78 - ASME LTR: GUIDE MATERIAL FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS ADOPTED UNDER 192.723 ADDENDA NO. 6, JULY 1977, AND APPEARED IN THE GUIDE IN JULY 1977."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "ASME",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1978-05-01",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```