# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-79-022

**Citation:** P-79-022  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1979-08-08  
**Published:** 1979-08-08

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA: INCLUDE IN ITS WRITTEN PROCEDURES DESIGNATION OF SPECIAL COMPANY PERSONNEL WHO WILL CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR PRESSURES DURING PIPELINE MAINTENANCE WORK SIMILAR TO THIS PROJECT. (URGENT)

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-79-022.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA: INCLUDE IN ITS WRITTEN PROCEDURES DESIGNATION OF SPECIAL COMPANY PERSONNEL WHO WILL CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR PRESSURES DURING PIPELINE MAINTENANCE WORK SIMILAR TO THIS PROJECT. (URGENT)

Priority: CLASS I

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1979-08-08

Adopted Date: 1979-07-19

Overall Date Closed: 1979-09-19

Synopsis: ON APRIL 18, 1979, A 24-INCH NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINE OWNED BY THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA (GAS COMPANY) PULLED OUT OF A COMPRESSION COUPLING DURING A LINE-LOWERING PROJECT UNDER IOWA STATE HIGHWAY 181 IN A RURAL AREA NEAR DALLAS, IOWA. WITHIN SECONDS, THE NATURAL GAS IGINITED AND BURNED A 900-FOOT BY 400-FOOT AREA. FIVE OF THE EIGHT INJURED WORKERS WERE HOSPITALIZED. TWO CARS, A PICKUP TRUCK, AND A TRAILER HOUSING CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT WERE DESTROYED. A BACKHOE WAS PARTLY DAMAGED, AND WINDOWS WERE BROKEN IN A NEARBY FARMHOUSE.

Ntsbnumber: DCA79FP013

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1979-09-19

Addressee Acronym: NGPL

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1979-08-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA LTR: OUR WRITTEN PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN REVISED TO SPECIFY CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF PRESSURE DURING PIPELINE MAINTENANCE AND/OR CONSTRUCTION WORK. IN ADDITION, THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE PERSON RESPONSIBILE FOR THE PRESSURE MONITORING.

Addressee Acronym: NGPL

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1979-09-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-79-022>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `0fad5b62f8e190512744af6a8cdf8d3ce0f0bc9d5acc485ae611a837d5a9b34d`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-25T21:43:36.844Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-79-022`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-79-022",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "DCA79FP013",
  "priority": "CLASS I",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1979-09-19",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2017-09-06",
  "reportNumber": "None",
  "reportUrl": null,
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P79_22_25.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CNLA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed--No Longer Applicable",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1979-09-19",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "NGPL",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1979-08-23",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA LTR:  OUR WRITTEN PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN REVISED TO SPECIFY CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF PRESSURE DURING PIPELINE MAINTENANCE AND/OR CONSTRUCTION WORK.  IN ADDITION, THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE PERSON RESPONSIBILE FOR THE PRESSURE MONITORING."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "NGPL",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1979-09-19",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```