The Mystery of the Skyjacking Bandit: The D.B. Cooper Case

The Mystery of the Skyjacking Bandit: The D.B. Cooper Case

I. Introduction

On November 24, 1971, a man using the pseudonym Dan Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft flying from Portland to Seattle. After extorting $200,000 in ransom and parachuting out of the plane, Cooper disappeared without a trace. Despite an extensive investigation and the recovery of some forensic evidence, Cooper was never found and the case remains one of the most famous unsolved crimes in American history.

The case of D.B. Cooper, as he became known, has captured the imagination of the public for decades, with numerous theories and suspects emerging over the years. The enduring mystery of what happened to Cooper and the sheer audacity of his crime have made it the subject of numerous books, articles, and even a Hollywood film.

In this book, we will explore the details of the skyjacking and the subsequent investigation, examining the evidence and theories that have been put forth in an attempt to solve this perplexing case. We will also delve into the cultural impact of the Cooper case and the enduring fascination it continues to generate.

II. The Skyjacking

On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, a man using the name Dan Cooper boarded a Boeing 727 aircraft operated by Northwest Orient Airlines, flying from Portland to Seattle. He was wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase.

During the flight, Cooper handed a note to a flight attendant, stating that he had a bomb in his briefcase and demanded $200,000 in ransom, as well as four parachutes. The plane landed in Seattle, where Cooper's demands were met and he released all of the passengers in exchange for the ransom money and parachutes.

The plane then took off again, with Cooper, the pilot, copilot, and two flight attendants on board. At some point during the flight, Cooper parachuted out of the plane with the ransom money, disappearing into the night. The plane landed safely in Reno, Nevada, and the search for Cooper began.

The exact circumstances of Cooper's escape are still a mystery and have been the subject of much speculation. The lack of a definitive explanation for how he was able to jump from the plane and evade capture has only added to the mystique of the case.

III. The Investigation

The investigation into the skyjacking of Flight 305, later known as the D.B. Cooper case, was led by the FBI and involved the collaboration of multiple law enforcement agencies.

In the aftermath of the skyjacking, the FBI launched an extensive search for Cooper, focusing on the area around Ariel, Washington where it was believed he may have landed after parachuting from the plane. The search included ground crews, helicopters, and search dogs, but no trace of Cooper was found.

The FBI also pursued leads and interviewed potential suspects, but none of the leads panned out and the case went cold. In the years that followed, the FBI received thousands of tips and leads, but none of them resulted in a definitive break in the case.

Forensic evidence recovered from the plane, including fingerprints and a clip-on tie left behind by Cooper, was analyzed, but did not yield any conclusive results. In the absence of any solid leads, the investigation into the D.B. Cooper case remains open and ongoing.

IV. The Suspects

Over the years, numerous suspects have been identified and investigated in connection with the D.B. Cooper case. Some of the main suspects include:

• Robert Rackstraw: In 2018, the FBI announced that they were reexamining the case of Robert Rackstraw, a former military man and convicted fraudster, as a possible suspect in the Cooper case. Rackstraw was investigated in the 1970s but was never charged.

• Barbara Dayton: In the 1980s, a woman named Barbara Dayton claimed to have information about the Cooper case and identified a man named Lynn Doyle Cooper as the skyjacker. However, the FBI determined that Cooper did not match the physical description of D.B. Cooper and did not pursue the lead.

• Kenneth Christiansen: Christiansen, a former employee of Northwest Orient Airlines, was identified as a suspect by a private investigator working on the case. Christiansen's familiarity with the airline and access to parachutes raised suspicion, but he was never charged and the FBI did not consider him a strong suspect.

• Richard Floyd McCoy Jr.: In 1972, McCoy hijacked a plane in a similar manner to Cooper and was arrested after a standoff with authorities. Some believed that McCoy could be Cooper, but he was eventually ruled out as a suspect.

To this day, the identity of D.B. Cooper remains a mystery and the case remains open. Despite the many suspects that have been investigated, there is still no definitive evidence linking any of them to the crime.

V. The Aftermath

The D.B. Cooper case had a significant impact on airline security and hijacking protocols. In the wake of the skyjacking, airlines implemented stricter security measures, including the use of metal detectors and reinforced cockpit doors. The Federal Aviation Administration also established new guidelines for dealing with hijackings, including the negotiation of ransom and the tracking of planes by radar.

The search for Cooper continued for years, with the FBI receiving thousands of tips and leads. In 1980, a young boy discovered a small portion of the ransom money along the Columbia River, leading to renewed interest in the case. However, no further leads were developed and the case eventually went cold.

Despite the lack of resolution, the Cooper case remains one of the most famous unsolved crimes in American history and continues to generate public fascination. In the decades since the skyjacking, the legend of D.B. Cooper has inspired numerous books, articles, and even a Hollywood film. The enduring mystery of what happened to Cooper and the sheer audacity of his crime have made it a cultural touchstone and a subject of ongoing speculation.

VI. Conclusion

The case of D.B. Cooper, the skyjacker who hijacked a plane and parachuted into obscurity with $200,000 in ransom money, remains one of the most famous unsolved crimes in American history. Despite an extensive investigation and the recovery of some forensic evidence, Cooper was never found and the case remains open.

Over the years, numerous suspects have been identified and investigated, but there is still no definitive evidence linking any of them to the crime. The enduring mystery and the sheer audacity of the crime have made it the subject of much speculation and public fascination.

The D.B. Cooper case had a significant impact on airline security and hijacking protocols, leading to stricter security measures and new guidelines for dealing with hijackings. The search for Cooper continues to this day, with the FBI still receiving leads and tips.

The legend of D.B. Cooper has inspired numerous books, articles, and even a Hollywood film, and serves as a testament to the enduring power of mystery and the enduring appeal of an unsolved crime.