◆ SpookStack

POPES ECE would make only one pass over the drop zone. But DPD authorized one 360° turn in order to make the drop good if the drop zone was not located on the initial run. (Actually, the crew made three passes.) This drop then failed (on 5 December) because the recep- tion group understood that the plane would make only one pass, and turned off the lights when the plane came back for a second try. There was also confusion over the time of the drop and the number of bundles. The difficulties in arriving at an understanding among all parties concerned were so great that this operation, first planned for 22 October, was. re-scheduled for 13 November; run on 5 December without dropping, then scheduled for 19 December. Then this had to be changed to 25 December and finally to 30 December. 23. For another operation WH/4 told Guatemala that the cargo should weigh 6,000 pounds, but DPD told Guatemala it could not be more than 4,000 or 5,000 pounds. The DPD message was not coordinated with WH/4, as Guatemala then pointed out. 24, . Some of the techniques used by DPD were highly question- able. In one instance DPD told Guatemala that in the event the drop-zone lights were not seen by the crew the pilot should never- theless drop his cargo on the drop zone as determined by dead reckon- ing. As it turned out, the reception group had dispersed after an encounter with a Cuban army patrol and was unable to be at the drop zone. The Castro forces then picked up at least half of the bundles dropped.