D.B. Cooper

Who Is D.B. Cooper?

D.B. Cooper is the alias of an unidentified man who hijacked a flight on November 24, 1971, using a bomb threat to extort $200,000. He successfully orchestrated the hijacking of Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305, flying from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle, Washington. After the ransom was delivered and parachutes were supplied as per his request, Cooper jumped from the plane mid-flight, vanishing without a trace. Despite a massive investigation by the FBI, codenamed NORJAK (Northwest Hijacking), Cooper’s true identity and whereabouts remain a mystery. Though some of the ransom money was later discovered, the case was officially closed in 2016, yet D.B. Cooper continues to capture the public’s imagination.

The Hijacking Incident

On the day of the hijacking, a man identifying himself as Dan Cooper boarded Flight 305, a Boeing 727, from Portland to Seattle. Airline security at the time did not require proof of identification, and Cooper paid $18.52 for his ticket. While on board, he ordered a bourbon and soda, smoked cigarettes, and handed a flight attendant a note stating he had a bomb. He then revealed a suitcase containing wires and red sticks, which reinforced his threat.

Cooper demanded $200,000 in $20 bills, along with four parachutes. As the ransom and parachutes were prepared, the plane circled the Seattle area. After landing in Seattle, 36 passengers and two crew members were released in exchange for the ransom, while four crew members remained on board to continue the flight to Mexico City.

Cooper ordered the pilots to fly at a low altitude, under 10,000 feet, and at a speed of less than 200 knots. During the flight, Cooper opened the rear stairs of the plane and, around 8:00 p.m., jumped into the night over a remote wooded area in the Pacific Northwest. The plane proceeded to Reno, Nevada, where it landed safely, but Cooper was nowhere to be found.

A reporting error led to the hijacker being referred to as “D.B. Cooper” instead of “Dan Cooper,” and this name has since become part of the legend surrounding the case. Despite years of investigation, hundreds of suspects, and even the discovery of $5,800 in ransom money, D.B. Cooper’s identity remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in U.S. history.

Disappearance and Investigation

Following the hijacking, the FBI released sketch-artist portraits of the suspect, describing him as a “white male, 6’1” tall, 170-175 pounds, mid-forties, with an olive complexion, brown eyes, and black hair parted on the left.”

Key evidence collected included the hijacker’s clip-on necktie and eight cigarette butts, although no ransom note was recovered. The FBI conducted ground searches, interviews, and considered over 800 suspects in the first five years. A prevailing theory suggests that Cooper may not have survived his jump due to the severe conditions: 200 mph winds, a storm, and the fact that his parachute was not steerable. His attire, consisting of a suit, loafers, and a trench coat, further reduced his chances of surviving a night landing in rough, wooded terrain.

Although law enforcement aircraft followed the hijacked plane, no one witnessed Cooper’s jump. Some speculate that Cooper could have jumped along a different flight path—known as the “Western Flight Path”—which could mean the manhunt focused on the wrong area.

Ransom Money

In 1980, decomposed $20 bills linked to Cooper’s ransom were found on the banks of the Columbia River by a boy camping with his family. The $5,800 discovery, traced to Cooper’s hijacking, was located several miles from the suspected jump zone near Ariel, Washington. Despite searches, no further evidence or bills from the ransom appeared, either in the area or in circulation.

Suspects

Over the years, multiple suspects have been considered, including:

• Robert Rackstraw, a military veteran with parachute training and a criminal history, was ruled out by the FBI. However, in 2018, a fellow veteran claimed to have decoded messages allegedly sent by Cooper that implicated Rackstraw. Until his death in 2019, Rackstraw made cryptic comments about his possible involvement.
• Richard Floyd McCoy Jr. hijacked a Boeing 727 in 1972, using a parachute to escape after receiving his ransom. Despite the similar modus operandi, McCoy did not resemble Cooper’s sketch. He escaped from prison in 1974 and was killed in a police shootout.
• Lynn Doyle Cooper was named a suspect by his niece, Maria Cooper, who recalled him saying in 1971, “We did it, our money problems are over, we hijacked an airplane.” Despite investigating, the FBI ruled him out, and Lynn passed away in 1999.
• Kenneth Christiansen, a military paratrooper and former Northwest Orient Airlines employee, was suggested as a suspect by his brother. A year after the hijacking, Christiansen purchased a house with cash, raising suspicions. He died in 1994.
• William J. Smith, a military veteran who passed away in 2018, was identified by a data analyst as a possible suspect. Smith’s pension was jeopardized by his employer’s bankruptcy, possibly motivating him to retaliate through the hijacking.

Recent Case Movements

In 2016, the FBI officially closed its investigation into the D.B. Cooper case to focus on other priorities, although existing evidence has been preserved. However, Cooper’s cigarette butts, which might have contained DNA, are now missing.

Civilian investigations continue. In 2020, an amateur scientist discovered microscopic algae (“diatoms”) on the ransom money found in 1980. These diatoms bloom only in spring, suggesting that the money was not in the water when Cooper made his November 1971 jump, challenging prior theories.

Movies and Documentaries

The D.B. Cooper case has been the subject of numerous films, including The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981) and the dramatized documentary I Am DB Cooper (2022). Documentaries such as D.B. Cooper: Case Closed? (2016) and D.B. Cooper: The Real Story (2018) have further explored the mystery. HBO’s The Mystery of D.B. Cooper (2020) and Netflix’s docuseries D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?! (2022) continue to delve into the case.

Cooper’s legacy has also inspired books, songs, and even an annual festival in Ariel, Washington, ensuring that the mystery remains alive in popular culture.