The Enigma of D.B. Cooper: America's Most Mysterious Hijacker

[merlin2024]

The Enigma of D.B. Cooper: America's Most Mysterious Hijacker

On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, a man who introduced himself as Dan Cooper walked into Northwest Orient Airlines at Portland International Airport. His presence was unremarkable—dressed in a business suit with a black tie and carrying a briefcase. Cooper purchased a one-way ticket for Flight #305, bound for Seattle, Washington, using cash. Little did anyone know, this routine transaction would mark the beginning of one of the most baffling cases in FBI history.

During the flight's pre-takeoff wait, Cooper ordered a bourbon and soda. As the plane was preparing for departure, he handed a stewardess a note claiming he had a bomb in his briefcase and demanded her immediate attention. Opening the attaché case, she saw a tangle of wires and red sticks—though whether it was a genuine explosive remains unclear.

Cooper’s demands were precise: he wanted four parachutes and $200,000 in twenty-dollar bills. Once these demands were relayed to the flight’s captain, the plane landed in Seattle, where Cooper exchanged the 36 passengers for the ransom and parachutes. He retained several crew members and ordered the plane to take off again, setting a course for Mexico City.

Somewhere over the rugged terrain between Seattle and Reno, just after 8:00 p.m., Cooper executed his extraordinary escape. He jumped out of the back of the plane with a parachute and the ransom money, vanishing into the night. The pilots landed safely, but Cooper’s fate was left hanging in the air.

The FBI, notified mid-flight, launched an exhaustive investigation dubbed NORJAK (Northwest Hijacking). Over the years, agents interviewed hundreds of individuals, tracked leads nationwide, and combed through the aircraft for clues. By the fifth anniversary of the hijacking, more than 800 suspects had been considered, leaving only about two dozen under serious scrutiny.

Among the potential suspects was Richard Floyd McCoy, who was later apprehended for a similar hijacking and parachute escape less than five months after Cooper’s flight. However, McCoy was eventually ruled out due to discrepancies in physical descriptions and other evidence.

The FBI recovered several items related to the hijacking, including one of the parachutes and a canvas bag used to carry them. Cooper had requested four parachutes in total—two of which he used for his jump. The parachute he used for the jump was a non-steerable type, and Cooper’s attire and footwear were unsuitable for a rough landing, casting doubt on whether he survived the jump. This theory gained traction in 1980 when a young boy discovered a decaying bundle of twenty-dollar bills totaling $5,800, matching the serial numbers of the ransom money.

Interestingly, the name "D.B. Cooper" was a misnomer created by the media. The actual name used was Dan Cooper, and a person with the initials "D.B." who was questioned was not connected to the hijacking.

Despite numerous investigations and theories, the case of D.B. Cooper remains an enduring mystery. His audacious heist and subsequent disappearance continue to fascinate both law enforcement and amateur sleuths, leaving us to wonder if we will ever uncover the truth behind America’s most enigmatic hijacker.