# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-79-025

**Citation:** P-79-025  
**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: DETERMINE WHAT EFFECTS SOIL CONDITIONS HAVE ON THIS PIPELINE WHERE CHANGES IN THE LAND CONTOUR COULD CAUSE SHIFTING OR MOVEMENT OF THE SOIL. AS A RESULT OF THIS DETERMINATION TAKE STEPS TO CORRECT THE CONDITION.

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-79-025.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA: DETERMINE WHAT EFFECTS SOIL CONDITIONS HAVE ON THIS PIPELINE WHERE CHANGES IN THE LAND CONTOUR COULD CAUSE SHIFTING OR MOVEMENT OF THE SOIL. AS A RESULT OF THIS DETERMINATION TAKE STEPS TO CORRECT THE CONDITION.

Priority: CLASS II

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Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable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: THE EFFECT OF SOIL CONDITIONS ON SOIL ABILITY TO RESTRAIN PIPELINE MOVEMENT HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED. THE FINDINGS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO REMEDIAL WORK PLANS. PREVENTION OF CHANGES IN LAND CONTOUR (SOIL EROSION) HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING EFFORT ALONG THE PIPELINE FOR MANY YEARS.

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-79-025>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `a442df512251d39e17223fd7bcf9b2d139a20532bf1178f7b2f2212632ad5e58`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-24T03:15:01.274Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-79-025`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-79-025",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "DCA79FP013",
  "priority": "CLASS II",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1979-09-19",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15",
  "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:  THE EFFECT OF SOIL CONDITIONS ON SOIL ABILITY TO RESTRAIN PIPELINE MOVEMENT HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED.  THE FINDINGS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO REMEDIAL WORK PLANS.  PREVENTION OF CHANGES IN LAND CONTOUR (SOIL EROSION) HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING EFFORT ALONG THE PIPELINE FOR MANY YEARS."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "NGPL",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1979-09-19",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```