It is November 24, 1971, and a man calling himself Dan Cooper boards a Boeing 727 in Portland, Oregon bound for Seattle. During the flight, Cooper hands a note to a flight attendant, claiming to have a bomb and demanding $200,000 in ransom and four parachutes. The plane lands in Seattle and Cooper’s demands are met. He releases the passengers and two of the crew members but keeps the other crew members on board as he instructs the pilot to take off again, this time heading toward Mexico.
Jumps and Disappears
Somewhere over the Pacific Northwest, Cooper straps on one of the parachutes and jumps out of the plane, disappearing into the night. The plane’s rear stairs are open and the ransom money is missing, leading authorities to believe that Cooper survived the jump.
Despite an extensive search and investigation, Cooper is never found and the case remains one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in aviation history. The only evidence left behind is a small portion of the ransom money that was later discovered along the Columbia River.
Unproven Claims of Identity
Over the years, several people have claimed to be Cooper or to have knowledge of his true identity, but none of these claims have been proven. The case continues to captivate the public’s imagination and has inspired numerous books, movies, and television shows.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect of the D.B. Cooper hijacking is the enduring mystery surrounding it. Who was this man who pulled off such a bold and daring crime, and what happened to him after he jumped out of that plane? Did he survive the jump and start a new life under an assumed identity? Or did he meet his demise in the rough terrain below?
A Tantalizing Mystery
The truth, as they say, is out there. But for now, the D.B. Cooper case remains a tantalizing mystery, a footnote in the annals of history, and a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit.