MYSTERY OF DB COOPER

MYSTERY OF DB COOPER

Man who Vanished in the Sky!

On November 24th, 1971, a Northwest Orient Airlines flight departed from Portland, heading to Seattle. Despite being a short 30-minute flight with only 36 passengers and 6 crew members, one of the passengers, a man named D.B. Cooper, turned out to be a hijacker. Cooper, disguised as a businessman in his mid-forties, sat in the last row of the plane, seat number 18E.

After introducing himself to the air hostess, Florence Schaffner, Cooper handed her a note with a bomb threat. Schaffner, initially thinking it was a flirtatious gesture, was shocked when Cooper revealed the contents of the note, clearly stating his demands for $200,000 in cash, 4 parachutes, and a refueled plane upon landing.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Schaffner managed to discreetly inform the pilots without alerting the other passengers. Another flight attendant, Tina Mucklow, was notified and seated next to Cooper. With the assistance of these two flight attendants, communication between the cockpit and Cooper was maintained. The pilots relayed the situation to the air traffic controller, and the news eventually reached the president of the airline, Donald Nairob. As the decision-maker, Nairob made an intriguing choice to ensure full compliance with Cooper's demands. Following coordination with the FBI, he contacted a Seattle bank to prepare the ransom money. The bank had a substantial amount of money set aside for such emergencies, but this particular bundle had a unique characteristic.

The reason behind the airline president's decision to cooperate with the hijacker was to protect the company's reputation. He aimed to prevent widespread news of the hijacking, which could lead to significant financial losses. To maintain secrecy, he agreed to meet the hijacker's demands. However, the challenge was the limited time to arrange the money, as the flight was only scheduled for half an hour. The pilots were instructed to circle Seattle until the money was ready on the ground. This short flight was extended to three hours, with passengers unaware of the situation.

The pilots attributed the delay to minor technical issues, which the passengers accepted. The flight finally landed at Seattle's airport at 5:46 pm, far from the main terminal as per Cooper's instructions. An airline representative approached the plane with the ransom money and parachutes. Once Cooper received the parachutes and money, he allowed the passengers and most flight attendants to disembark, except for Tina Mucklow.

Afterward, as per the plan, the aircraft was refueled and departed once more. This time, only the pilots were aboard the aircraft along with Cooper and Tina. Cooper began giving instructions to the pilots once again. He detailed the flight's destination, the speed of the aircraft, down to the precise angle. He instructed them to steer the aircraft toward Mexico City, flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet with the wings positioned at 15°. Regarding the aircraft's speed, he wanted it to fly as slowly as possible.

The pilots expressed their concerns to Cooper, stating that flying with these settings would make it challenging to reach Mexico City due to insufficient fuel. However, Cooper remained unfazed. He instructed them to proceed as directed. What unfolded next is truly astonishing, akin to a movie plot. Cooper instructed Tina to go to the cockpit and lock the door. He was the sole individual outside the cockpit. Cooper retrieved his parachutes and prepared to jump. Shortly after, a warning light illuminated in the cockpit, signaling that the rear staircase had been deployed. This was a distinctive feature of Boeing 727 aircraft at that time, Cooper activated the staircase, and leaped out with the parachutes and the money.

The pilots and the flight attendants were unaware of the incident as they were confined to the cockpit, which did not have a viewing hole at that time. However, at 8:13 pm, the pilots observed the rear of the aircraft suddenly tilting upwards, prompting them to readjust and stabilize the plane. Subsequently, the pilots navigated the aircraft to Nevada, where they safely landed in Reno. Authorities were notified, leading to an investigation of the plane. Despite their efforts, law enforcement did not discover any sign of Cooper. The only items recovered were a tie with a clip, remnants of the parachutes used to conceal the money bag, and personal belongings of Cooper, including the cigarettes he had been smoking during the flight. It was worth noting that smoking was permitted on airplanes during that period.

The investigation was thorough, and 66 unidentified fingerprints were found. The fingerprints didn’t belong to any of the crew members or other passengers on the flight. The suitcase that contained the B0mb, the bag of cash, and the parachutes were all missing, along with Cooper. The FBI began its search for Cooper on the day of the hijacking, but there was no sign of him. This investigation lasted for 45 years and was finally closed in 2016. Many questions remain unanswered, and this remains the only hijacking in history that no one has solved. This is one of the FBI’s greatest mysteries. Who was Cooper, what happened to him, and did the police ever find the money? There are too many unanswered questions. Let’s try to answer them.

Two aspects of this incident are particularly intriguing. Firstly, amidst the hijacking, none of the other passengers were aware that their plane had been taken over. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries occurred during the hijack, which many attribute to Tina Mucklow. She is hailed as the hero of the hijacking for her role in keeping Cooper calm, ensuring his demands were met, and preventing any panic that could have led to chaos or harm.

The co-pilot, Rataczak, praised Mucklow's composure and stated that she was the best person to be seated next to someone committing a criminal act. Secondly, the name "DB Cooper" is a result of a mistake made by a news reporter named James Long, who misheard the hijacker's name as DB Cooper instead of Dan Cooper. This error was perpetuated by other journalists, leading to the mystery of DB Cooper that persists today.

The alteration of the hijacker's name exemplifies the phenomenon known as Anchoring in psychology. Anchoring refers to the cognitive bias where humans heavily rely on the initial information they receive. When it comes to breaking news, the first piece of news you hear tends to be the one you believe. In 2013, a humorous theory called Brandolini's Law, also known as the Bullshit Asymmetry Principle, was introduced. This theory suggests that correcting the anchoring effect can be extremely challenging. "The effort required to rectify falsehood is significantly greater than that needed to create it." In simpler terms, spreading lies is relatively effortless, while convincing people to believe the truth and correct those lies is much more difficult. However, in the case of Cooper, the mistake was not significant; only the name was incorrect. Besides, it is not expected for a hijacker to use their real name.

Initial investigations by the FBI revealed that when Cooper parachuted out of the plane, he had the cash strapped to him, weighing approximately 10 kilos. Cooper utilized two parachutes for his jump, one fastened in front and the other behind. The authorities had a general idea of the location where Cooper made the jump - the southwest area of Washington State, characterized by pine forests, lakes, and canyons where bears resided. Initially, investigators believed that Cooper had no chance of survival due to the circumstances of his jump - from a height of 10,000 feet in complete darkness at 8 o'clock in the evening. Furthermore, Cooper's attire, consisting of pants and a shirt, was unsuitable for the rainy weather conditions with heavy, black clouds at 5,000 feet. This meant that Cooper descended without being able to see anything.

Additionally, the wind speed was a crucial factor, estimated at 320 km per hour during the jump. The United States Parachute Association highlighted another challenge - the cold water in the region during November. Falling into a lake would have made it nearly impossible to survive due to the rapid onset of hypothermia in such frigid conditions. The weight strapped to Cooper would have further hindered any attempts to swim. Despite these obstacles, subsequent incidents suggested that Cooper may have survived the jump.

Following Cooper's high-profile hijacking, several copycat hijackings occurred, with at least 5 individuals successfully jumping off planes using similar tactics. One of these individuals, Martin McNally, replicated Cooper's modus operandi on June 24, 1972, demanding $500,000 and parachuting off the plane at a speed of 400-500 km per hour. This was double the speed of Cooper's descent. Nevertheless, McNally managed to survive his leap using only a reserve parachute.

In January 1972, Richard Lapoint executed a similar hijacking. He donned similar attire in January, leaped, and safely landed in the snow. The subsequent capture of these two hijackers by the police is immaterial. This is how their tales became known. The FBI speculated that if these individuals could jump in conditions harsher than those faced by Cooper and still survive, then it was plausible that DB Cooper also survived that night. Particularly when Tina Mucklow handed the parachutes to Cooper, there were instructions on how to use them. However, Cooper informed Tina that she need not read the instructions as he was already familiar with their operation. Consequently, when the FBI began to consider the possibility that Cooper might still be alive, their next objective was to search the area where he had jumped. In reality, the authorities had commenced scouring those forests the day following the hijacking. They were searching for a body, a torn parachute fragment, or a $20 bill I mentioned that the money given to Cooper was unique. The uniqueness lay in the fact that the currency consisted of $20 bills. Specifically, there were 10,000 $20 notes, totaling $200,000. The bank had recorded the serial numbers of these bills. The FBI disseminated the list of serial numbers nationwide, instructing banks and casinos to notify them if any of these notes were received.

The investigators were encountering increasing difficulty in locating Cooper. Where could the search area be delineated? Numerous factors were at play. What was the wind speed during the aircraft's flight? How dark was it? What was the precise position of the plane at the moment Cooper jumped? Following the jump, at what altitude did Cooper deploy his parachutes? And in what directions could the parachutes have drifted? The investigators' most plausible estimation was that Cooper would have landed somewhere close to Lake Merwin in Washington State.

If the same aircraft is flown with identical configurations and a 91 kg sled is pushed out through the stairs, the location where the sled lands can provide valuable information about the potential landing site of Cooper. Consequently, door-to-door searches were carried out in the area, with police officers visiting local farmhouses to question residents. Petrol boats were deployed on Lake Mervin and Lake Yale, while one company utilized a submarine in the search efforts. Despite searching 200 ft under Lake Mervin, no trace of Cooper, the money, a piece of the parachute, or any other evidence was found. Subsequently, investigators decided to publish the serial numbers of the notes in the local newspaper, offering a reward of $1,000 to the first person who found a note with those specific serial numbers. This reward remained unclaimed for three years. Fast forward to 1979, eight years after the hijacking, when pilot Tom Bohan from Continental Airlines contacted the FBI. Tom, who was flying another aircraft 4 minutes behind Cooper's plane and 4,000 feet above, recalled the stormy night of the hijacking. He informed the FBI that their calculations regarding Cooper's drop zone were incorrect by 80° and suggested searching near the drainage area of the Washougal River. Several months later, Tom's suspicions were confirmed when an 8-year-old boy discovered $20 notes on the bank of the Columbia River. The notes were in bundles held together with rubber bands, and upon verification of the serial numbers, it was confirmed that they were part of the ransom money. This discovery marked the first breakthrough in the unsolved case of DB Cooper, the only unsolved airplane hijacking in US history.

Despite conducting another search in the area, they were unable to locate all of the money. Only $5,800 was recovered in total. This supported Tom's hypothesis that Cooper had landed near the Washougal River, as the money was found downstream from it. The FBI then searched the area in hopes of finding Cooper's body or parachute remnants, but their efforts were in vain. FBI agent Richard Tosaw believed that Cooper had drowned in the cold water of the river that night. Interestingly, the 8-year-old boy who discovered the notes was rewarded with some portions of the money. When he grew up in 2008, he sold 15 notes in an online auction and received $37,000 in return for the $20 notes. This high price was due to the worldwide popularity of Cooper's case. Another intriguing question remains: who was Cooper, regardless of what happened to him after jumping from the plane?

It is crucial for us to gather some background information about the origins and identity of this individual. Unfortunately, the FBI had limited resources to assist in answering these questions. However, they did discover a tie and tie clip left behind by Cooper. Interestingly, this tie clip was made of gold and upon further examination, specific microscopic particles were found within it. In March 2009, a research team consisting of a paleontologist, a scientific illustrator, and a metallurgist began studying these particles using advanced technology such as electron microscopy. Their analysis revealed that certain sections of the tie clip were made of unalloyed titanium, with traces of aluminum and titanium antimony alloy. Based on their findings, it was suggested that Cooper may have worked in a chemical or metal manufacturing plant, or even in an aeronautical engineering company. There is a possibility that he may have been employed by Boeing itself, as unalloyed titanium was commonly used in aircraft fabrication facilities during that time. Scientists believe that the periodic table of elements provides clues indicating that Cooper had access to a manufacturing company involved in airplane production, potentially one with a connection to Boeing. In the initial stages of the investigation, the FBI interviewed the passengers and flight crew to create a composite sketch of Cooper's appearance. This was done to determine what he looked like.

The initial sketch, created on November 28th, 1971, had a different appearance. However, Air Hostess Schaffer and several witnesses disputed its accuracy. It took an additional year to produce a new sketch, which also proved to be quite imprecise. Then, on January 2nd, 1973, the FBI finalized their third sketch of Cooper. Upon viewing this updated depiction, an air hostess confirmed its accuracy. By examining this drawing, it becomes evident that Cooper resembled the portrayed image. Consequently, Dan Cooper's true face and potential occupation were unveiled to the public. This revelation sparked numerous theories regarding his identity and who Cooper truly was. Larry Carr, who led the investigative team from 2006 to 2009, believed that Cooper served as an aircraft cargo loader in the Air Force. This assumption was based on the fact that cargo loaders received basic training in parachute usage, including wearing and deploying them. Additionally, they possessed knowledge about the aircraft's operations, such as deploying stairs within the plane. Utilizing these descriptions, the FBI compiled a list of over 800 suspects, any one of whom could potentially be DB Cooper. However, 20 individuals were given serious consideration, with 2-3 of them having intriguing backgrounds. Among them was Richard McCoy, a Vietnam War army veteran. Remarkably, just five months after Cooper's hijacking,

He hijacked an aircraft in a manner reminiscent of Cooper. A Boeing 727 was involved, and he demanded 4 parachutes and $500,000. The individual sought $500,000 and requested 4 parachutes. Following the acquisition of the money, he activated the rear stairs and leaped. However, the key distinction was that just 48 hours after the hijacking, the FBI apprehended him. He received a 45-year prison sentence, and the FBI suspected him of being Cooper, as well as believing this was his second hijacking attempt. "He was apprehended at his residence in Provo, Utah, early this morning. When the FBI agents arrived, he did not put up a fight." In 1991, a book titled DB Cooper, The Real McCoy was released by former FBI agent Russell Caleme. The book claims that when McCoy's family saw Cooper's tie and tie clip, they thought they belonged to McCoy. However, when McCoy was questioned about being DB Cooper, he neither confirmed nor denied it. After spending 2 years behind bars, McCoy tried to escape from prison, resulting in a fatal shootout. Upon learning all of this, one might believe that the mystery has been unraveled.

There are additional complexities in our narrative. Presently, the FBI does not officially identify McCoy as DB Cooper for two primary reasons. Initially, the sketch they created does not align with McCoy's description. Furthermore, the FBI later discovered evidence of McCoy's presence in Las Vegas during the night of Cooper's hijacking. The following day, he was at home with his family. Given this evidence, it is evident that McCoy is not DB Cooper. The second suspect was a Vietnam War veteran named Robert Rackstraw. He faced multiple arrests for fraud, aircraft theft, and possession of explosives, yet was consistently acquitted post-arrest. In 2016, TV producer Thomas Colbert authored a book, "The Last Master Outlaw," to assert that Rackstraw was DB Cooper. He also produced a documentary on the History Channel, "DB Cooper: Case Closed," reiterating this claim. Collaborating with a team of 40 individuals, including former FBI agents, Colbert and his team believed Rackstraw was the genuine DB Cooper. The evidence supporting this claim includes Rackstraw being a prime suspect when the FBI initiated the investigation in the 1970s. Despite making jesting comments to the media at the time, Rackstraw later refuted these statements. His resemblance to the sketches was noted, but the FBI released him in 1979 and removed him from the suspect list due to insufficient evidence. Colbert contended that the FBI should have continued investigating Rackstraw. He believed that with further FBI scrutiny, more evidence could have been uncovered. On July 11, 2016, Colbert launched his book on DB Cooper, and the following day, July 12, 2016, the FBI closed the case. At 73 years old in 2016, Rackstraw lost his job due to the allegations against him in Colbert's book.

Later in 2019, he passed away due to natural causes. Consequently, my dear companions, we find ourselves back at the same juncture. To this day, the enigma surrounding DB Cooper remains unresolved. The identity of DB Cooper, his origins, and his ultimate destination remain a mystery to all. Now that you are acquainted with this perplexing case, what are your thoughts? Could Cooper have survived the daring jump from the plane that fateful night? It is truly astonishing that following Cooper's hijacking, numerous similar incidents occurred. However, in all those hijackings, the perpetrators who utilized parachutes to escape the aircraft consistently exhibited two patterns. Firstly, they managed to survive the jump. Secondly, they were always apprehended by the police or FBI. But what about Cooper?