# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-79-031

**Citation:** P-79-031  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1979-10-12  
**Published:** 1979-10-12

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION: NOTIFY ITS MEMBER COMPANIES OPERATING SIMILAR LNG FACILITIES OF THE KNOWN PARTICULARS OF THE COVE POINT ACCIDENT AND REQUEST THAT THEY CONDUCT AN INSPECTION OF ELECTRIC CONDUIT SEALS AT THEIR FACILITIES IMMEDIATELY TO DETERMINE IF LEAKS THROUGH THE SEALS COULD RESULT IN SIMILAR EXPLOSION HAZARDS AT THEIR LNG FACILITIES, AND THAT THEY TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO C

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-79-031.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION: NOTIFY ITS MEMBER COMPANIES OPERATING SIMILAR LNG FACILITIES OF THE KNOWN PARTICULARS OF THE COVE POINT ACCIDENT AND REQUEST THAT THEY CONDUCT AN INSPECTION OF ELECTRIC CONDUIT SEALS AT THEIR FACILITIES IMMEDIATELY TO DETERMINE IF LEAKS THROUGH THE SEALS COULD RESULT IN SIMILAR EXPLOSION HAZARDS AT THEIR LNG FACILITIES, AND THAT THEY TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO CORRECT ANY POTENTIAL HAZARDS FOUND. (URGENT)

Priority: CLASS I

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1979-10-12

Adopted Date: 1979-10-12

Overall Date Closed: 1979-11-13

Synopsis: ON OCTOBER 6, 1979, AN EXPLOSION OF LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS (LNG) VAPORS DESTROYED A TRANSFORMER BUILDING AT THE COLUMBIA LNG CORPORATION FACILITY IN COVE POINT, MARYLAND. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED IN THE EXPLOSION, ONE PERSON WAS CRITICALLY INJURED, AND OTHER BUILDINGS AT THE FACILITY WERE DAMAGED.

Ntsbnumber: DCA80MP001

Report Number: PAR-80-02

Addressee Name: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1979-11-13

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1979-10-16

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION LTR: AGA HAS FORMALLY NOTIFIED ITS MEMBER COMPANIES OPERATING OR PLANNING LNG FACILI TIES BY FORWARDING COPIES OF THE NTSB RECOMMENDATION. AGA HAS NOTIFIED WHERE POSSIBLE, NON-A.G.A. MEMBERS OF KNOWN PARTICULARS OF THE ACCIDENT. ON OCTOBER 8 AND 9, 1979, AGA NOTIFIED MEMBER COMPANIES OPERATING LNG FACILITIES BY TELEPHONE OF THE PARTICULARS OF THE ACCIDENT AND SUGGESTED THAT THEY INSPECT THEIR FACILITIES AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS PASSED ON AS IT WAS RECEIVED.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1979-11-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-79-031>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `90bfe474ca3d42931d0c12967679da67e8723dd691e0af75fb16fad6551c83bb`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-25T07:59:12.652Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-79-031`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-79-031",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "DCA80MP001",
  "priority": "CLASS I",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1979-11-13",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2017-09-06",
  "reportNumber": "PAR-80-02",
  "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA80MP001.aspx",
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P79_31.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "American Gas Association",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CNLA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed--No Longer Applicable",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1979-11-13",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "AGA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1979-10-16",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION LTR:  AGA HAS FORMALLY NOTIFIED ITS MEMBER COMPANIES OPERATING OR PLANNING LNG FACILI TIES BY FORWARDING COPIES OF THE NTSB RECOMMENDATION. AGA HAS NOTIFIED WHERE POSSIBLE, NON-A.G.A. MEMBERS OF KNOWN PARTICULARS OF THE ACCIDENT.  ON OCTOBER 8 AND 9, 1979, AGA NOTIFIED MEMBER COMPANIES OPERATING LNG FACILITIES BY TELEPHONE OF THE PARTICULARS OF THE ACCIDENT AND SUGGESTED THAT THEY INSPECT THEIR FACILITIES AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS PASSED ON AS IT WAS RECEIVED."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "AGA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1979-11-13",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```