# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-90-018 **Citation:** P-90-018 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board **Effective:** 1990-04-20 **Published:** 1990-04-20 THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION: AMEND 49 CFR 192 TO DISALLOW THE USE OF VEGETATION-TYPE SURVEYS FOR COMPLYING WITH ANY LEAKAGE SURVEY REQUIREMENT. ## Document text NTSB safety recommendation P-90-018. THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION: AMEND 49 CFR 192 TO DISALLOW THE USE OF VEGETATION-TYPE SURVEYS FOR COMPLYING WITH ANY LEAKAGE SURVEY REQUIREMENT. Priority: CLASS III Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Issued Date: 1990-04-20 Adopted Date: 1990-03-27 Overall Date Closed: 1994-03-07 Synopsis: IN A 7-MONTH PERIOD BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 16, 1988, THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATED 5 NATURAL GAS ACCIDENTS IN THE KANSAS CITY-TOPEKA AREA THAT INVOLVED THE GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS OWNED BY KANSAS POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY (KPL). CORROSION DAMAGE WAS INVOLVED ON EACH OF THE 3 GAS SERVICE LINES AND THE 2 CAST IRON GAS MAINS. EACH OF THE GAS LINES INVOLVED WERE INSTALLED BEFORE THE FEDERAL MINIMUM GAS PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS BECAME EFFECTIVE AND THE FAILURES ON THE GAS SERVICE LINES INVOLVED CUSTOMER-OWNED PIPE THAT HAD NOT BEEN PROTECTED AGAINST CORROSION DAMAGE. THESE ACCIDENTS KILLED 4 PEOPLE, INJURED 12 OTHERS AND DESTROYED 4 HOUSES. Probable Cause: None Ntsbnumber: DCA89MP014 Report Number: PAR-90-03 Addressee Name: RSPA Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Addressee Date Closed: 1994-03-07 Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1993-03-08 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: ALTHOUGH THIS RULEMAKING WAS DELAYED BY THE MORATORIUM, THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT SAFETY CONCERNS SHOULD BE ACTED UPON EXPEDITIOUSLY. THIS RECOMMENDATION WILL REMAIN "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE" PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE RULEMAKING PROCESS. Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1994-03-07 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: THE BOARD HAS DETERMINED THAT THE OCTOBER 22, 1993, FINAL RULE ON LEAKAGE SURVEYS OF DISTRIBUTION LINES LOCATED OUTSIDE BUSINESS DISTRICTS FULFILL THE INTENT OF THESE TWO SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS. CONSEQUENTLY, RECOMMENDATION P-90-17 AND -18 HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION." Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1993-10-22 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: ON OCTOBER 22, 1993, THE RSPA ISSUED A FINAL RULE REQUIRING OPERATORS OF DISTRIBUTION LINES LOCATED OUTSIDE BUSINESS DISTRICTS TO USE LEAK DETECTORS TO CARRY OUT REQUIRED LEAKAGE SURVEYS. ALSO CHANGING THE TIME PERIOD FROM 5 TO 3 YEARS FOR LEAK SURVEY DATA WHEN REPLACING ELECTRIC SURVEYS FOR CORROSION IDENTIFICATION. Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1990-09-28 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: OPS HAS A NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING SCHEDULED IN THE FAL OF 1990 TO DISALLOW THE USE OF VEGETATION-TYPE SURVEYS FOR COMPLYING WITH ANY LEAKAGE SURVEY REQUIREMENT. Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1992-04-09 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: AN NPRM, LEAKAGE SURVEYS ON DISTRIBUTION LINES LOCATED OUTSIDE BUSINESS DISTRICTS, WAS PUBLISHED OCTOBER 23, 1991, (56 FR 54816), PROPOSING TO REQUIRE OPERATORS OF DISTRIBUTION LINES TO USE GAS DETECTORS IN CONDUCTING LEAKAGE SURVEYS ON LINES LOCATED OUTSIDE BUSINESS DISTRICTS. HOWEVER, THE FURTHERR DEVELOPMENT OF THIS REGULATION HAS BEEN DELAYED PENDING THE PRESIDENT'S REGULATORY MORATORIUM AND EVALUATION OF ALL REGULATIONS WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACT ECONMIC GROWTH. Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1991-05-07 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1990-09-26 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: RSPA Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1992-08-31 Communication Type: Official Correspondence ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline` - SHA-256: `b5a72bc7baf395b41623af51d825ae3f1cbecdf85b08475f30a56d6531b3be04` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z - Exported: 2026-08-22T18:16:22.369Z - Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-90-018` ### Source metadata ```json { "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation", "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-90-018", "recommendationMode": "Pipeline", "topicMode": "Pipeline", "ntsbNumber": "DCA89MP014", "priority": "CLASS III", "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA", "overallDateClosed": "1994-03-07", "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15", "reportNumber": "PAR-90-03", "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA89MP014.aspx", "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P90_12_21.pdf", "addressees": [ { "addresseeName": "RSPA", "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CAA", "addresseeStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "addresseeDateClosed": "1994-03-07", "addresseeDetails": [ { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1993-03-08", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "ALTHOUGH THIS RULEMAKING WAS DELAYED BY THE MORATORIUM, THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT SAFETY CONCERNS SHOULD BE ACTED UPON EXPEDITIOUSLY. THIS RECOMMENDATION WILL REMAIN \"OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE\" PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE RULEMAKING PROCESS." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1994-03-07", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "THE BOARD HAS DETERMINED THAT THE OCTOBER 22, 1993, FINAL RULE ON LEAKAGE SURVEYS OF DISTRIBUTION LINES LOCATED OUTSIDE BUSINESS DISTRICTS FULFILL THE INTENT OF THESE TWO SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS. CONSEQUENTLY, RECOMMENDATION P-90-17 AND -18 HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED \"CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION.\"" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1993-10-22", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "ON OCTOBER 22, 1993, THE RSPA ISSUED A FINAL RULE REQUIRING OPERATORS OF DISTRIBUTION LINES LOCATED OUTSIDE BUSINESS DISTRICTS TO USE LEAK DETECTORS TO CARRY OUT REQUIRED LEAKAGE SURVEYS. ALSO CHANGING THE TIME PERIOD FROM 5 TO 3 YEARS FOR LEAK SURVEY DATA WHEN REPLACING ELECTRIC SURVEYS FOR CORROSION IDENTIFICATION." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1990-09-28", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "OPS HAS A NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING SCHEDULED IN THE FAL OF 1990 TO DISALLOW THE USE OF VEGETATION-TYPE SURVEYS FOR COMPLYING WITH ANY LEAKAGE SURVEY REQUIREMENT." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1992-04-09", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "AN NPRM, LEAKAGE SURVEYS ON DISTRIBUTION LINES LOCATED OUTSIDE BUSINESS DISTRICTS, WAS PUBLISHED OCTOBER 23, 1991, (56 FR 54816), PROPOSING TO REQUIRE OPERATORS OF DISTRIBUTION LINES TO USE GAS DETECTORS IN CONDUCTING LEAKAGE SURVEYS ON LINES LOCATED OUTSIDE BUSINESS DISTRICTS. HOWEVER, THE FURTHERR DEVELOPMENT OF THIS REGULATION HAS BEEN DELAYED PENDING THE PRESIDENT'S REGULATORY MORATORIUM AND EVALUATION OF ALL REGULATIONS WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACT ECONMIC GROWTH." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1991-05-07", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1990-09-26", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "RSPA", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1992-08-31", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" } ] } ], "jurisdiction": "US" } ```