NTSB Safety Recommendation P-76-045

NTSB safety recommendation P-76-045.

DETERMINE IF THERE ARE LOCATIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE STANDARD COMPRESSION COUPLINGS ARE UNSAFE, AND AMEND 49 CFR 192 ACCORDINGLY TO PROHIBIT THEIR USE FOR SUCH APPLICATIONS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Issued Date: 1976-09-15

Adopted Date: 1976-07-07

Overall Date Closed: 1988-09-29

Synopsis: ON JANUARY 10, 1976, GAS WHICH WAS LEAKING INTO THE PATHFINDER HOTEL, IN FREMONT, NEBRASKA, IGNITED. THE GAS WAS LEAKING FROM A 2-INCH PLASTIC PIPE WHICH HAD PULLED OUT OF ITS COMPRESSION COUPLING; THE GAS SEEPED INTO THE HOTEL BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN CAPPED ABOVE BY FROZEN EARTH AND A CONCRETE ROAD SURFACE. THE HOTEL EXPLODED AND FIRE ENSUED; THE EXPLOSION AND FIRE DESTROYED THE HOTEL, DAMAGED NEARBY BUILDINGS, AND BROKE WINDOWS WITHIN A ONE-BLOCK RADIUS. THIRTY-NINE PERSONS WERE INJURED AND 20 PERSONS WERE KILLED.

Ntsbnumber: DCA76MP013

Report Number: PAR-76-06

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1988-09-29

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1977-03-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: LTR. FROM MTB: WE FOUND THAT, IN SOME CASES, THERE IS NO FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO INSTALLING COMPRESSION COUPLINGS. WE BELIEVE THAT A PROPERLY INSTALLED COMPRESSION COUPLING CAN BE UTILIZED IN VIRTUALLY ALL LOCATIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES. 8/9/78 - MTB LTR: MTB PLANS TO CONDUCT A COMPLETE REVIEW OF AVAILABLE INFORMATION TO DETERMINE IF CIRCUMSTANCES OR LOCATIONS DO EXIST WHERE STANDARD COMPRESSION COUPLINGS WOULD BE UNSAFE. REPORTS FROM 1972 ON WILL BE REVIEWED SELECTIVELY TO ESTABLISH COMMON CONDITIONS FOR COMPRESSION COUPLING FAILURE. IF REVIEWS INDICATE A COMMON CONDITION OR LOCATION THAT WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE SOUNDNESS OF COMPRESSION COUPLINGS, MTB WILL PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO 49 CFR 192 TO PROHIBIT THEIR USE IN SUCH LOCATIONS OR CONDITIONS.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1983-03-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY OBJECTIVES DEALING WITH PLASTIC-TO-STEEL TRANSITION PROBLEMS AND COMPRESSION COUPLINGS (P-73-3, P-76 43, P-76-44, AND P-76-45) HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE DOT TECHNICAL REPORT CITED ABOVE, AND BY SECTION 192.273(A) WHICH REQUIRES THAT COMPRESSION COUPLINGS AND OTHER JOINTS SUSTAIN THE LONGITUDINAL PULLOUT OR THRUST FORCES CAUSED BY THE CONTRACTION OR EXPANSION OF THE PIPE OR BY ANTICIPATED EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL LOADINGS IN THE AREA WHERE THE PIPE IS LOCATED; AND BY SECTION 192.283(B), WHICH IDENTIFIES PROCEDURES WHICH PERMIT THE SAFE USE OF COMPRESSION COUPLINGS.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1988-09-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1979-01-11

Communication Type: Official Correspondence