# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-76-080 **Citation:** P-76-080 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board **Effective:** 1976-10-27 **Published:** 1976-10-27 COMPLETE PROMPTLY DEVELOPMENT OF AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR EXCAVATORS AND INSTITUTE A PROGRAM TO ADVISE EXCAVATORS HOW TO RECOGNIZE PIPELINE RIGHTS-OF-WAY, PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PRECAUTIONS WHEN EXCAVATING NEAR PIPELINES, AND ENCOURAGE NOTIFICATION BEFORE EXCAVATING. (URGENT) ## Document text NTSB safety recommendation P-76-080. COMPLETE PROMPTLY DEVELOPMENT OF AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR EXCAVATORS AND INSTITUTE A PROGRAM TO ADVISE EXCAVATORS HOW TO RECOGNIZE PIPELINE RIGHTS-OF-WAY, PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PRECAUTIONS WHEN EXCAVATING NEAR PIPELINES, AND ENCOURAGE NOTIFICATION BEFORE EXCAVATING. (URGENT) Priority: CLASS I Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Issued Date: 1976-10-27 Adopted Date: 1976-10-06 Overall Date Closed: 1983-03-08 Synopsis: ON AUGUST 9, 1976, A ROAD GRADER RUPTURED A LOOPED, 20-INCH, NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION LINE IN CARTWRIGHT, LOUISIANA. GAS ESCAPED IN SEVERAL DIRECTIONS FROM THE LINE'S TWO STREAMS AND IGNITED WITHIN SECONDS. THE RESULTING FLAME ENGULFED THE AREA, KILLED SIX RESIDENTS, INJURED ONE PERSON, AND INCINERATED TWO HOUSES, A HOUSE TRAILER, AND SEVERAL ACRES OF LAND. Keywords: Excavation,Training and Education Ntsbnumber: DCA76MP025 Report Number: PAR-77-01 Addressee Name: United Gas Pipeline Company Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable Addressee Date Closed: 1983-03-08 Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry Communication Date: 1977-04-14 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: 4/14/77 - TELEPHONE CALL TO UNITED GAS PIPE LINE COMPANY CONFIRMS THAT UNITED HAS COMPLIED OR IS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLYING WITH ALL THREE RECOMMENDATIONS. HOWEVER, UNITED HAS A $15 MILLION LAW SUIT IN PROGRESS AND DOES NOT WANT TO DRAFT A LETTER STATING COMPLIANCE WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME. THEY WILL DO SO AFTER THE LAW SUIT IS FINISHED. Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry Communication Date: 1983-01-18 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: UNITED GAS PIPE LINE COMPANY LETTER: UNITED HAS HAD MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE BUSINESS AND OVER THE YEARS ITS ENGINEERS AND FIELD OPERATING PERSONNEL HAVE CONTINUALLY ATTEMPTED TO EDUCATE LANDOWNERS, CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRIES, UTILITY COMPANIES, AND LOCAL, COUNTY AND STATE AGENCIES AS TO THE DANGER OF EXCAVATING ON A PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY. THIS EDUCATIONAL PROCESS HAS INCLUDED, AMONG OTHER METHODS, PERSONAL CONTACTS AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE BOOKLET WHICH WAS INITIALLY PRINTED IN 1977. MOREOVER, UNITED'S PIPELINES ARE MARKED BY PERMANENT MARKERS AT ALL POINTS WHERE PUBLIC ROADS CROSS SUCH PIPELINES. WHILE UNITED CONTINUES ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR EDUCATING THOSE WHO MAINTAIN PUBLIC ROADS OBVIOUSLY MUST FALL ON THE COMPANIES AND/OR AGENCIES DOING THE WORK. AS IN THE PAST, UNITED WILL ASSIST IN ALL SUCH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN ITS AREA OF OPERATION. Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry Communication Date: 1983-03-08 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry Communication Date: 1982-10-05 Communication Type: Official Correspondence ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline` - SHA-256: `c7a982a8e74525de67904a545bd3b14a13848ba0b7562b4637224c3f4ae9fcfe` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z - Exported: 2026-08-22T18:54:55.112Z - Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-76-080` ### Source metadata ```json { "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation", "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-76-080", "recommendationMode": "Pipeline", "topicMode": "Pipeline", "ntsbNumber": "DCA76MP025", "priority": "CLASS I", "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA", "overallDateClosed": "1983-03-08", "lastModifiedDate": "2017-09-06", "reportNumber": "PAR-77-01", "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA76MP025.aspx", "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P76_78_80.pdf", "addressees": [ { "addresseeName": "United Gas Pipeline Company", "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CNLA", "addresseeStatus": "Closed--No Longer Applicable", "addresseeDateClosed": "1983-03-08", "addresseeDetails": [ { "addresseeAcronym": null, "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1977-04-14", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "4/14/77 - TELEPHONE CALL TO UNITED GAS PIPE LINE COMPANY CONFIRMS THAT UNITED HAS COMPLIED OR IS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLYING WITH ALL THREE RECOMMENDATIONS. HOWEVER, UNITED HAS A $15 MILLION LAW SUIT IN PROGRESS AND DOES NOT WANT TO DRAFT A LETTER STATING COMPLIANCE WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME. THEY WILL DO SO AFTER THE LAW SUIT IS FINISHED." }, { "addresseeAcronym": null, "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1983-01-18", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "UNITED GAS PIPE LINE COMPANY LETTER: UNITED HAS HAD MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE BUSINESS AND OVER THE YEARS ITS ENGINEERS AND FIELD OPERATING PERSONNEL HAVE CONTINUALLY ATTEMPTED TO EDUCATE LANDOWNERS, CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRIES, UTILITY COMPANIES, AND LOCAL, COUNTY AND STATE AGENCIES AS TO THE DANGER OF EXCAVATING ON A PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY. THIS EDUCATIONAL PROCESS HAS INCLUDED, AMONG OTHER METHODS, PERSONAL CONTACTS AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE BOOKLET WHICH WAS INITIALLY PRINTED IN 1977. MOREOVER, UNITED'S PIPELINES ARE MARKED BY PERMANENT MARKERS AT ALL POINTS WHERE PUBLIC ROADS CROSS SUCH PIPELINES. WHILE UNITED CONTINUES ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR EDUCATING THOSE WHO MAINTAIN PUBLIC ROADS OBVIOUSLY MUST FALL ON THE COMPANIES AND/OR AGENCIES DOING THE WORK. AS IN THE PAST, UNITED WILL ASSIST IN ALL SUCH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN ITS AREA OF OPERATION." }, { "addresseeAcronym": null, "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1983-03-08", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": null, "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1982-10-05", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" } ] } ], "jurisdiction": "US" } ```