NTSB Safety Recommendation P-89-004

NTSB safety recommendation P-89-004.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT KPL GAS SERVICE: INSTITUTE A COMPANY PRACTICE FOR METALLURGICALLY EXAMINING FAILED SEGMENTS OF PIPE TO IDENTIFY CAUSE OF FAILURE AND TO ASSIST IN DETERMINING WHEN PORTIONS OF PIPE IN ITS SYSTEM SHOULD BE REPLACED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1989-03-30

Adopted Date: 1989-03-30

Overall Date Closed: 1995-08-21

Synopsis: THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING FOUR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING HIGH PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE KPL GAS SERVICE COMPANY (KPL). (1) A SEPTEMBER 16, 1988, NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION IN OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS, INVOLVING GAS LEAKING FROM CORROSION HOLES IN THE CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINE. GAS MIGRATED UNDERGROUND TO THE HOUSE AND WAS IGNITED. THE HOUSE WAS DESTROYED AND THE FOUR RESIDENTS WERE INJURED. (2) A NOVEMBER 25, 1988, NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION AND FIRE IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, INVOLVING A BREAK IN A CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINE AT A THREADED JOINT THAT WAS AFFECTED BY CORROSION. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND FIVE PERSONS INJURED IN THE EXPLOSION THAT SEVERELY DAMAGED THE RESIDENCE. (3) A DECEMBER 5, 1988, NATURAL GAS FIRE IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, INVOLVING A CRACKED, 6-INCH CAST-IRON GAS MAIN THAT WAS AFFECTED BY GRAPHITIC CORROSION. ONE PERSON WAS INJURED AND TWO VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED AFTER THE ESCAPING NATURAL GAS IGNITED IN A DRIVEWAY. (4) A FEBRUARY 10, 1989, NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION AND FIRE IN OAK GROVE, MISSOURI, INVOLVING THE FAILURE OF A CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINE AT A THREADED JOINT. TWO PERSONS WERE KILLED AND THEIR HOUSE WAS DESTROYED IN THE EXPLOSION.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA88FP016

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: KPL Gas Service Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1995-08-21

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-06-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN OUR RESPONSE TO P-89-4 ABOVE, REGULATIONS POLICIES & PRACTICES RELATED TO METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF CAST IRON WAS DESCRIBED. IN 1991, IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING NEED FOR NUMEROUS FACETS OF MATERIALS TESTING, THE COMPANY CREATED A GAS SAFETY LABORATORY FOR SUCH PURPOSES AS FACILITY FAILURE ANALYSIS (INCLUDING METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS), PRODUCT EVALUATION, & GAS QUALITY ANALYSIS TO NAME A FEW. OUR METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF CAST IRON & STEEL CONTINUES TO BE PERFORMED.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-11-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IT HAS BEEN THE PRACTICE OF KPL TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF A PIPE FAILURE IN THE FIELD WHENEVER POSSIBLE. IN THOSE CASES WHERE SUCH A FIELD DETERMINATION COULD NOT BE MADE, METALLURGICAL TESTING HAS BEEN EMPLOYED. THE COMPANY IS IN THE PROCESS OF CONSIDERING A FORMAL POLICY TO PROVIDE FOR METALLURGICAL TESTING OF ALL FAILED SEGMENTS OF PIPE. THE COMPANY ANTICIPATES THAT THE STONE & WEBSTER ANALYSIS WILL ALSO PROVIDE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS AREA.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-10-10

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: The National Transportation Safety Board is reviewing its safety recommendation files to identify those recommendations on which there has been no correspondence for an extended time. On March 30, 1989, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendations P-89-l through -4 to the KPL Gas Service Company W-1 concerning four accidents involving high pressure distribution facilities operated by KPL. The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent Federal agency with the statutory responsibility "...to promote transportation safety by conducting independent accident investigations and by formulating safety improvement recommendations" (Public Law 93-633). We would appreciate being informed as to what efforts were made or are being made to implement these recommendations. The Safety Board's letter transmitting these recommendations is enclosed for your information.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1990-04-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Safety Recommendation P-89-4 discusses the need for metallurgically examining failed segments of pipe as a matter of company practice to determine the cause of failure. We note that KPL is considering a formal policy to provide for metallurgical testing of all failed segments of pipe and, furthermore, anticipates that the management consultant's analysis will provide specific recommendations in this area. We look forward to hearing further from KPL when this policy has been instituted. In the meantime, this safety recommendation will be held in an "Open--Acceptable Action" status.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-08-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD NOTES THAT WESTERN RESOURCES HAS INSTITUTED A PROCEDURES FOR METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF CAST-IRON & STEEL PIPE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, A GAS SAFETY LABORATORY HAS BEEN CREATED ESPECIALLY FOR FACILITY FAILURE ANALYSIS, PRODUCT EVALUATION, & GAS QUALITY ANALYSIS. BASED ON THIS INFO P-89-4 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."