CHAPTER FLYING SAFETY, ROLL-UP_AND PLANNING A. THE AIR TASK GROUP AND FLYING SAFETY A review of Operation CASTLE reveals that all Air Task Group migsions were successfully accomplished, many of them through skill- ful improvisation and the experience of veterans of previous overseas test operations. Among the accomplishments noteworthy of mention was the flight safety record. Only one aircraft, an H-19A helicopter, was lost during the entire operation. More heartening yet was the fact thet no lives were lost due to aircraft accidents. On 3 March the Air Task Group had its first aircraft accident, when a newly-arrived helicopter pilot from Bikini taxted his aircraft between a parked helicopter and an SA-16. The narrow passage was ap- proximately twelve feet wider than the helicopter rotor blade circle. The rotor blade struck the SA-16's left elevator. Although this acci- dent did not affect the Air Task Group's accident rate, it awakened many people to stricter enforcement of the Task Group's regulations. One day prior to the accident the Bikini Detachment arrived at Eniwetok and had begun operations without any formal briefing on airfield regulations. The first major aircraft accident occurred at 0808 on 15 April when a Parry-to—Eniwetok bound H-19A helicopter lost engine power and crashlanded on an exposed reef between the two islands. The H-19A had been directed by the Eniwetok tower to stay clear of traffic due to an impending AFWL/HO (0%