The Unsolved Mystery of D.B. Cooper: America's Most Elusive Hijacker
On November 24, 1971, in America, a Northwest Orient Airlines flight took off from Portland. This short, 30-minute flight to Seattle carried only 36 passengers and 6 crew members. Unbeknownst to them, a hijacker was on board: a man who would become famously known as D.B. Cooper.
The Hijacking Begins
The hijacker appeared to be a typical businessman, dressed in a suit, white shirt, and black pants, seemingly in his mid-forties. He sat intentionally in the last row, seat 18E. Shortly after takeoff, he introduced himself to a flight attendant, Florence Schaffner, with a smile, handing her a note. Initially, Schaffner thought he was flirting and pocketed the note without reading it. However, Cooper urged her to read it, revealing he had a bomb.
The note, written in neat handwriting, read: "Miss, I have a bomb in my briefcase and I want you to sit by me." Schaffner, skeptical, complied and was shown a briefcase containing red cylinders, wires, and a large battery. Cooper's demands were clear: he wanted $200,000 in cash by 5 PM, along with four parachutes and a fuel truck ready to refuel the plane upon landing.
Coordination and Compliance
Schaffner discreetly informed the cockpit crew. Another flight attendant, Tina Mucklow, took over communication with Cooper. The pilots alerted air traffic control, and soon the news reached the airline's president, Donald Nyrop. To protect the airline's reputation and avoid panic, Nyrop decided to comply fully with Cooper's demands.
The pilots were instructed to circle Seattle for three hours while the money was arranged. The passengers, unaware of the hijacking, were told of technical difficulties causing the delay. Finally, the plane landed at Seattle's airport at 5:46 PM, parked away from the terminal. An airline representative delivered the money and parachutes to Cooper, who then allowed the passengers and some crew members to disembark, keeping only Tina Mucklow onboard.
The Unbelievable Escape
After refueling, the plane took off again, heading towards Mexico City under Cooper's specific instructions: to fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet with the wings at a 15° angle, as slow as possible. Despite the pilots' concerns about fuel, Cooper insisted on these parameters.
Cooper then instructed Mucklow to lock herself in the cockpit with the crew. Alone in the cabin, he prepared to jump. At 8:13 PM, the pilots noticed the rear staircase had been deployed, indicating Cooper's exit. The plane landed in Reno, Nevada, where police found only a clip-on tie, some parachute remnants, and cigarette butts. Cooper and the ransom money were gone.
The Aftermath and Investigation
The FBI launched a 45-year investigation, officially closing the case in 2016. Cooper’s jump was calculated to have occurred in the rugged terrain of southwest Washington State, an area with dense forests, lakes, and canyons. Initial beliefs held that Cooper could not have survived the jump due to harsh weather conditions, inadequate clothing, and the treacherous landscape.
However, subsequent copycat hijackings demonstrated that similar jumps were survivable. Notable cases include Martin McNally, who survived a jump at twice the speed of Cooper's, and Richard LaPoint, who survived a winter jump. These incidents led the FBI to reconsider Cooper's fate.
The Money Trail
In 1979, eight years after the hijacking, pilot Tom Bohan suggested a different search area based on his experiences that night. This theory gained credibility in 1980 when an eight-year-old boy found $5,800 in $20 bills along the Columbia River, matching the serial numbers of the ransom money. Despite extensive searches, no further traces of Cooper or the remaining money were found.
Possible Identities and Theories
The FBI’s investigation considered over 800 suspects, with two prominent ones being Richard McCoy and Robert Rackstraw. McCoy, who executed a similar hijacking months later, was initially suspected but later dismissed due to evidence placing him elsewhere during Cooper's hijacking. Rackstraw, a Vietnam War veteran with a criminal background, matched the sketch and exhibited suspicious behavior. However, substantial evidence proving his identity as Cooper was never found, and he was eventually removed from the suspect list.
Conclusion: An Enduring Enigma
The mystery of D.B. Cooper remains one of the greatest unsolved cases in FBI history. Despite extensive investigations and numerous theories, Cooper’s true identity and fate after the jump remain unknown. The intriguing details of this hijacking continue to captivate the public's imagination, making it a legendary story of audacity and mystery.
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