# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-79-034 **Citation:** P-79-034 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board **Effective:** 1979-11-07 **Published:** 1979-11-07 THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION: MONITOR, THROUGH ITS STATE AGENT, THE PENNSYLVANIA PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION, THE ACTIVITES OF THE PEOPLES NATURAL GAS COMPANY TO SURVEY THE 12-INCH GAS MAIN FOR LEAKS AND TO CATHODICALLY PROTECT THE GAS MAIN WHERE NEEDED. (URGENT) ## Document text NTSB safety recommendation P-79-034. THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION: MONITOR, THROUGH ITS STATE AGENT, THE PENNSYLVANIA PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION, THE ACTIVITES OF THE PEOPLES NATURAL GAS COMPANY TO SURVEY THE 12-INCH GAS MAIN FOR LEAKS AND TO CATHODICALLY PROTECT THE GAS MAIN WHERE NEEDED. (URGENT) Priority: CLASS I Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Issued Date: 1979-11-07 Adopted Date: 1979-11-02 Overall Date Closed: 1980-06-25 Synopsis: ON JULY 31, 1979, A MAN ENTERED A SMALL CELLAR BENEATH A COMMERCIAL GREENHOUSE AT 1936 BRODHEAD ROAD, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, STRUCK A MATCH TO LIGHT A CIGARETTE, AND WAS BURNED CRITICALLY WHEN A FLASH FIRE ERUPTED. THE MAN DIED LATER THAT NIGHT. THE FIRE DID ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE CELLAR. Probable Cause: None Ntsbnumber: DCA79FP021 Report Number: None Addressee Name: RSPA Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Addressee Date Closed: 1980-06-25 Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1980-05-27 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: RSPA LTR: MTB HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE PENNSYLVANIA PUC TO DISCUSS THE PEOPLES NATURAL GAS CO. (PNG) RESPONSE RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT. THE PUC DID MONITOR THE PNG IN REGARD TO LEAK SURVEYS, LEAK REPAIRS, AND CATHODIC PROTECTION SURVEYS. ACCORDING TO THE PUC, PNG HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING: (1) CONDUCTED A FLAME IONIZATION UNIT LEAK SURVEY OF ENTIRE LENGTH OF PIPELINE P-670. ONE LEAK WAS DETECTED AND REPAIRED. (2) A CATHODIC PROTECTION ELECTRICAL SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED OVER THE LINE. NO ELECTRICAL SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED OVER BARE PORTIONS. THE LEAK SURVEYS WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR BARE PORTION CATHODIC PROTECTION. (3) REPLACED 385 FEET OF OLD, BARE, 12-INCH STEEL PIPE WITH 4-INCH MILL COATED STEEL PIPE. (4) ON MARCH 25-26, 1980, AT MTB'S REQUEST THROUGH THE PUC, PNG EXCAVATED AND EXAMINED NINE LOCATIONS ALONG LINE P-670. THE EXCAVATION SITES SELECTED BY THE PUC ALL HAD INDICATIONS OF NATURAL GAS LEAKAGE DETECTED DURING THE 11-79 LEAKAGE SURVEYS. THE RESULTS OF THESE EXCAVATIONS SHOWED THE LEAKAGE TO BE FROM COLLAR CLAMPS AND FITTINGS AND NOT DUE TO CORROSION. THE EXPOSED PIPE HAD ONLY LIGHT SURFACE CORROSION; THERE WERE NO DEEP PITS. PENNSYLVANIA PUC IS SATISFIED THAT PNG HAS TAKEN APPROPRIATE ACTION. Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1980-06-25 Communication Type: Official Correspondence ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline` - SHA-256: `f8cb4d08a8e1047f52f6535f900730abed0cd6babd4ae1069c0efb5c16ac94f9` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z - Exported: 2026-08-25T02:52:14.480Z - Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-79-034` ### Source metadata ```json { "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation", "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-79-034", "recommendationMode": "Pipeline", "topicMode": "Pipeline", "ntsbNumber": "DCA79FP021", "priority": "CLASS I", "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA", "overallDateClosed": "1980-06-25", "lastModifiedDate": "2017-09-06", "reportNumber": "None", "reportUrl": null, "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P79_34.pdf", "addressees": [ { "addresseeName": "RSPA", "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CAA", "addresseeStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "addresseeDateClosed": "1980-06-25", "addresseeDetails": [ { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1980-05-27", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "RSPA LTR: MTB HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE PENNSYLVANIA PUC TO DISCUSS THE PEOPLES NATURAL GAS CO. (PNG) RESPONSE RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT. THE PUC DID MONITOR THE PNG IN REGARD TO LEAK SURVEYS, LEAK REPAIRS, AND CATHODIC PROTECTION SURVEYS. ACCORDING TO THE PUC, PNG HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING: (1) CONDUCTED A FLAME IONIZATION UNIT LEAK SURVEY OF ENTIRE LENGTH OF PIPELINE P-670. ONE LEAK WAS DETECTED AND REPAIRED. (2) A CATHODIC PROTECTION ELECTRICAL SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED OVER THE LINE. NO ELECTRICAL SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED OVER BARE PORTIONS. THE LEAK SURVEYS WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR BARE PORTION CATHODIC PROTECTION. (3) REPLACED 385 FEET OF OLD, BARE, 12-INCH STEEL PIPE WITH 4-INCH MILL COATED STEEL PIPE. (4) ON MARCH 25-26, 1980, AT MTB'S REQUEST THROUGH THE PUC, PNG EXCAVATED AND EXAMINED NINE LOCATIONS ALONG LINE P-670. THE EXCAVATION SITES SELECTED BY THE PUC ALL HAD INDICATIONS OF NATURAL GAS LEAKAGE DETECTED DURING THE 11-79 LEAKAGE SURVEYS. THE RESULTS OF THESE EXCAVATIONS SHOWED THE LEAKAGE TO BE FROM COLLAR CLAMPS AND FITTINGS AND NOT DUE TO CORROSION. THE EXPOSED PIPE HAD ONLY LIGHT SURFACE CORROSION; THERE WERE NO DEEP PITS. PENNSYLVANIA PUC IS SATISFIED THAT PNG HAS TAKEN APPROPRIATE ACTION." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1980-06-25", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" } ] } ], "jurisdiction": "US" } ```