# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-79-006

**Citation:** P-79-006  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1979-05-15  
**Published:** 1979-05-15

REEVALUATE ALL RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE SAFETY BOARD CONCERNING LPG, AND EXPEDITE THOSE THAT REQUIRE RULEMAKING.

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-79-006.

REEVALUATE ALL RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE SAFETY BOARD CONCERNING LPG, AND EXPEDITE THOSE THAT REQUIRE RULEMAKING.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1979-05-15

Adopted Date: 1979-05-03

Overall Date Closed: 1989-01-04

Synopsis: ON AUGUST 4, 1978, PROPANE THAT HAD VAPORIZED AND SPREAD WIDELY FROM A RUPTURED 8-INCH LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG) PIPELINE OWNED BY THE MID-AMERICA PIPELINE SYSTEM WAS IGNITED BY AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IN A RURAL AREA NEAR DONNELLSON, IOWA. THE INTENSE FIRE KILLED TWO PERSONS AND CRITICALLY BURNED THREE OTHERS; ONE OF THE CRITICALLY BURNED PERSONS LATER DIED. A FARMHOUSE AND SIX OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED, AND TWO ADJACENT HOMES WERE DAMAGED.

Ntsbnumber: DCA78MP021

Report Number: PAR-79-01

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1989-01-04

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1979-06-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: MTB LTR: MTB ISSUED AN ANPRM ON 2/5/79 TO SOLICIT COMMENTS ON THE NEED FOR MORE STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS FOR A PIPELINE TRANSPORTING HIGHLY VOLATILE LIQUIDS. MTB EXPECTS TO PUBLISH FINAL RULES ON DOCKETS PS-51 (SAFETY PLANS FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS AND EMERGENCIES FOR PIPELINES CARRYING HIGHLY VOLATILE LIQUIDS) AND PS-53 (STANDARDS TO REDUCE SPILL SIZE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PIPELINE VOLATILE LIQUIDS SUCH AS LPG) IN JUNE 1979. DOCKET PS-55 (STAN DARDS TO REDUCE PIPELINE FAILURE RATES IN PIPELINES CARRYING HIGHLY VOLATILE LIQUIDS) WILL BE ISSUED AS A FINAL RULE IN SEPTEMBER 1979. DOT HAS PROPOSED LEGISLA TION TO AMEND THE 1968 GAS PIPELINE SAFETY ACT TO STRENGTHEN MTB'S SAFETY PROGRAMS FOR LPG AND OTHER HIGHLY VOLATILE LIQUIDS.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1979-07-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-01-04

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-05-31

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-79-006>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `26a629717de88a6a3c91f6c0f55d576459f726bfffa9f3d83725177541281ac5`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-26T06:59:28.387Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-79-006`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-79-006",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "DCA78MP021",
  "priority": "CLASS II",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1989-01-04",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15",
  "reportNumber": "PAR-79-01",
  "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA78MP021.aspx",
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P79_6.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "RSPA",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CAA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1989-01-04",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1979-06-14",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "MTB LTR:  MTB ISSUED AN ANPRM ON 2/5/79 TO SOLICIT COMMENTS ON THE NEED FOR MORE STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS FOR A PIPELINE TRANSPORTING HIGHLY VOLATILE LIQUIDS.  MTB EXPECTS TO PUBLISH FINAL RULES ON DOCKETS PS-51 (SAFETY PLANS FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS AND EMERGENCIES FOR PIPELINES CARRYING HIGHLY VOLATILE LIQUIDS) AND PS-53 (STANDARDS TO REDUCE SPILL SIZE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PIPELINE VOLATILE LIQUIDS SUCH AS LPG) IN JUNE 1979.  DOCKET PS-55 (STAN DARDS TO REDUCE PIPELINE FAILURE RATES IN PIPELINES CARRYING HIGHLY VOLATILE LIQUIDS) WILL BE ISSUED AS A FINAL RULE IN SEPTEMBER 1979.  DOT HAS PROPOSED LEGISLA TION TO AMEND THE 1968 GAS PIPELINE SAFETY ACT TO STRENGTHEN MTB'S SAFETY PROGRAMS FOR LPG AND OTHER HIGHLY VOLATILE LIQUIDS."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1979-07-23",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1989-01-04",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1989-05-31",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```