The Legend of D.B. Cooper: America’s Only Unsolved Skyjacking

On a rainy afternoon on November 24, 1971, a man known only as D.B. Cooper committed one of the most daring and mysterious crimes in American history—a skyjacking that has remained unsolved for over 50 years. Cooper's crime was audacious, his disappearance legendary, and the investigation to find him, or even to discover his true identity, has captured the public's imagination for decades. Despite an exhaustive FBI investigation, tantalizing clues, and numerous suspects, the mystery of D.B. Cooper remains one of the greatest unsolved heists in American history.
The Hijacking: November 24, 1971
The story of D.B. Cooper begins at Portland International Airport in Oregon. A man using the alias "Dan Cooper" purchased a one-way ticket to Seattle, Washington, on Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305. Described as being in his mid-40s, wearing a dark suit, a black tie, a white shirt, and a trench coat, Cooper blended in with the other passengers and appeared to be just another business traveler.
Shortly after the Boeing 727 took off, Cooper handed a note to a flight attendant named Florence Schaffner. Initially thinking it was just another businessman's attempt to give her his phone number, she pocketed it without reading. Cooper leaned over and whispered, "Miss, you’d better look at that note. I have a bomb."
The note detailed his demands: $200,000 in cash, four parachutes, and a fuel truck standing by in Seattle to refuel the plane for his next flight. Schaffner recalled seeing a glimpse of what appeared to be eight red cylinders with wires attached to them inside Cooper's briefcase. She relayed the message to the cockpit, and the pilot contacted authorities.
The Ransom and Release in Seattle
As the plane flew circles over Puget Sound to buy time, FBI agents in Seattle scrambled to gather the ransom money—$200,000 in unmarked $20 bills (equivalent to over $1.4 million today)—and four parachutes. Meanwhile, the passengers remained unaware of the hijacking, believing it to be a mechanical issue.
Upon landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Cooper allowed the 36 passengers and some of the flight attendants to disembark in exchange for the money and parachutes. He kept several crew members on board. After his demands were met, he ordered the flight crew to take off again, this time heading for Mexico City with instructions to fly at a low altitude of 10,000 feet and a slow speed, keeping the landing gear down and the flaps set at 15 degrees. The aft stairway of the aircraft was to remain deployed.
The Disappearance: A Leap Into the Unknown
Around 8:00 p.m., somewhere over the rugged wilderness of southwestern Washington State, Cooper made his daring escape. He opened the aft door of the Boeing 727 and jumped out of the plane with the ransom money and a parachute strapped to his back. It was a cold and rainy night, and Cooper leaped into the darkness from an altitude of about 10,000 feet.
When the plane landed safely in Reno, Nevada, Cooper was gone. Search efforts immediately began in the vast, dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, but there was no sign of Cooper or the money. The FBI launched an extensive investigation, dubbed "NORJAK" (Northwest Hijacking), to find the mysterious hijacker.
The Investigation: Clues and Dead Ends
The D.B. Cooper case became the focus of one of the longest and most exhaustive investigations in FBI history. The FBI interviewed hundreds of potential suspects, scoured the wilderness, and combed through evidence, but Cooper's identity and fate remained elusive.
The Physical Evidence
Several pieces of evidence have been recovered over the years. The only physical evidence left on the plane was Cooper's black clip-on tie, which was found on the seat he had occupied. In 1978, a placard from a 727, detailing instructions for lowering the aft stairs, was found in the woods north of the search area.
The most significant find came in 1980 when an eight-year-old boy named Brian Ingram discovered a rotting package containing $5,800 in $20 bills along the banks of the Columbia River near Tena Bar, about 20 miles from Vancouver, Washington. The serial numbers matched those of the ransom money, but this find only deepened the mystery. Was it dropped accidentally, or had Cooper planted it as a diversion? Did Cooper survive the jump, or did he perish in the wilderness?
The Suspects
Over the decades, numerous suspects have been proposed, but none have definitively been proven to be D.B. Cooper. Some of the more notable suspects include:
Richard Floyd McCoy Jr.: A former Green Beret and helicopter pilot who committed a similar hijacking in 1972. However, he was later ruled out due to significant differences in his modus operandi and physical description.
Kenneth Peter Christiansen: A former paratrooper and Northwest Orient Airlines employee whose brother claimed he confessed to being Cooper on his deathbed. Some circumstantial evidence suggested he could be Cooper, but there was no conclusive proof.
Robert Rackstraw: A Vietnam veteran with a criminal record and a history of deception. He had the skills needed for the hijacking, but he denied being Cooper and was never charged.
Duane Weber: A career criminal who allegedly confessed to his wife on his deathbed, saying, "I’m Dan Cooper." Some evidence suggested he had knowledge of details only the real Cooper would know, but like others, he was never confirmed to be the hijacker.
Theories About Cooper's Fate
Theories about what happened to D.B. Cooper after he jumped out of the plane range from survival to certain death. Some believe Cooper survived the jump, escaped with the money, and started a new life. Others argue that he likely died in the fall, given the challenging conditions and lack of experience indicated by his decision to jump into a wooded area at night with poor weather conditions.
Without proper protective clothing and with no clear idea of the terrain below, some experts believe Cooper would not have survived the jump, but no body or parachute was ever found, leaving his fate unknown.
The Legacy of D.B. Cooper
The D.B. Cooper case remains the only unsolved act of air piracy in U.S. history, and it has become a part of American folklore. The mystery has inspired countless books, documentaries, films, and even songs. Amateur sleuths, known as "Cooperites," continue to analyze every detail, hoping to find the definitive clue that will solve the case. The FBI officially closed its investigation in 2016, citing a lack of new evidence, but the public's fascination with D.B. Cooper endures.
Several annual events, such as the D.B. Cooper Days in Ariel, Washington, celebrate the mystery, drawing fans and conspiracy theorists alike. The allure of the unknown and the audacity of the crime continue to inspire endless speculation. Was D.B. Cooper a master criminal, a desperate man, or simply a myth born out of the American fascination with outlaws and rebels?
Conclusion
The legend of D.B. Cooper endures as one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history. Whether he perished in the wilderness or escaped with his loot to live out his days in obscurity, Cooper has achieved an almost mythic status. His story is a testament to the power of a mystery to capture the public imagination—a story that combines adventure, audacity, and the enduring allure of the unknown. Until new evidence emerges, the mystery of D.B. Cooper remains unsolved, a tantalizing puzzle that keeps both amateur and professional detectives searching for answers.
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