D.B. Cooper Disappeared From The Sky

By Edward Anderson

DB Cooper remains a man of mystery Image from FBI Free to use

A nondescript white man walked into the Portland International Airport and bought a ticket to Sea-Tac, a trip that was about 30 miles north. He paid cash at the counter for his ticket. This was November 24, 1971, and after this transaction was completed, America would have one of its most enduring mysteries.

The man told the clerk that his name was Dan Cooper, an alias. Security was lax at airports during this time, and travel was largely unregulated for passengers. Fake names were a dime a dozen, and crimes on planes were one of the fastest growing.

But as with most of the historic events, no one thought that they were going to deal with a history making incident.

He boarded the plane with everyone else. There was nothing that suggested what he planned to upend the lives of the crew and his fellow passengers. Instead, he seemed to be quiet and wanting to be left alone.

Once they were in the air, though, Cooper set his plan into motion. He slipped Florence Schaffner, the flight attendant, a note. Dismayed at what she thought was a lonely businessman’s phone number, she slipped it into her pocket with the hopes that she would remember to throw it out later.

But Cooper was insistent that she read the note, he claimed to have a bomb with him. She unraveled it and was shocked by what it said. The note reinforced the notion that he had an explosive and asked her to sit down next to him.

Schaffner did as requested.

Sitting Mystery

Fearing for everyone’s lives, Schaffner asked to see the bomb. Cooper complied and opened his briefcase, which was stacked with four red cylinders that appeared to be dynamite. Attached to the cylinders were wires and a battery.

Patiently, she listened to what Cooper wanted. As he talked, she jotted down a note to take to the pilot, Captain William A. Scott. She took it to him, and he directed her to stay in the cockpit with him. They got word to the other flight crew and waited for an answer from ground control.

What were his demands? Cooper asked for $200,000 in a knapsack by 5:00 pm. He wants two front parachutes, two back parachutes. He wants the money in negotiable American currency.” Experts believe that he asked for two parachutes to imply that he would be taking a hostage with him.

With Schaffner in the cockpit, they decided to have Tina Mucklow sit next to him. They wanted someone to act as a liaison between Cooper and the rest of the crew.

Cooper told Mucklow that when they landed in Seattle to re-fuel, everyone needed to stay on board. They could only leave once he had the requested money.

She relayed the news to Captain Scott. He called the air traffic control to advise them of the situation. They called the local police department and FBI to find out what should be done.

Donald Nyrop, president of Northwest Orient, was told about the situation. He ordered the ransom be paid and that all crew cooperate with Cooper.

The flight circled around Seattle for a couple of hours while the ransom was gathered. Passengers were told that there was a minor mechanical issue.

When the plane landed, the money was given to Cooper and things seemed to go off without a hitch.

Refueling Stall

Cooper told Mucklow that he chose the flight not because he had a grudge against the airline, but because he had a grudge. He never elaborated on what that was or why he had the issue. When pressed, he informed the flight attendant that he chose that particular flight because it suited his needs.

Mucklow brought him the money. He didn’t know that while it was unmarked, the FBI had taken pictures of the money and every single bill started with “L” to indicate that it was insured by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Officials thought that this would be a good way to track the criminal down.

While the passengers were deboarding, Mucklow joked with Cooper about getting some of the money. He acquiesced and handed her a stack of bills. She promptly returned it to him, reminding him that crew could not accept tips from passengers.

Once everyone was off the plane, Schaffner asked Cooper if she could get her purse. He said yes. Then she asked if the flight attendants could get off the plane, he responded by telling her that they could do whatever they wanted.

Schaffner and another stewardess left the plane. Mucklow returned with the last parachute and handed him instructions on how to use the equipment. Cooper notified her that he didn’t need them.

Everything wasn’t as he specified. The money was delivered in a cloth bag rather than the knapsack that he requested. Cooper then cut out one of the reserve parachutes and stuffed some of the money into it.

As the captain delayed the flight, under the guise of needing to refuel the plane, an official from the FAA asked for a face-to-face meeting with him. Cooper declined and became impatient. He handed Captain Scott the new flight plan.

They were heading southeast to Mexico City.

Jumping Into History

Cooper was informed that his flight plan would keep them at about 1,000 feet altitude and meant that the plane would need to be refueled again. He sat with Captain Scott and other members of the crew to determine where the best place to do so would be.

They decided that Reno-Tahoe International Airport was the best option.

Once they were ready to take off, Cooper demanded that the rear exit door remain open and the airstair be extended. Officials at Northwest Orient decried that as being unsafe. He argued that it could be done. However, he didn’t force them to have the stairs unleashed, he said he would do that himself.

When they were in the air, Cooper demanded that the flight attendant lower the stairs. Mucklow argued that she was afraid of being sucked out of the plane. The other crew members offered to give her a rope, but the skyjacker said that was not an option. He didn’t want her going to the front or the crew coming back.

Sensing that her fear was real, Cooper said he would do it himself. As he began to prep to jump out of the plane, Mucklow asked him to take the bomb with him. He told her that he would take it or would disarm it.

Mucklow was instructed to go to the cockpit. When she looked back, she saw him tying what looked like the money sack around his waist. She was the last person to see Cooper before he jumped.

Her account is the best that investigators have on what happened.

Investigating The Jumper

The investigation began immediately. Fingerprints were taken from the plane, about 66 of them believed to be from Cooper. Investigators also found his clip-on tie and a tie clip. Eyewitnesses were questioned and an idea of what the man looked like came to fruition.

None of the evidence led to any leads in the case.

Portland Police theorized that Dan Cooper was his real name and looked in their database. They found a D.B. Cooper with a rap sheet and interrogated him. But it was determined that he was not the man that they were looking for.

A reporter mistook the suspect’s name for the one given originally, and the legend of D.B. Cooper was launched.

On December 6, 1971, just weeks after the skyjacking, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover decided to retrace the flight plan. However, the weather was terrible and the photos that were taken didn’t lead anywhere.

Multiple suspects were brought in for questioning, but no one was ever charged with the crime. Officials have indicated that there is no statute of limitations for the crime and if Cooper is ever found, he could face serious charges.

However, many people familiar with the case believe that Cooper died when he jumped. They say that with the weather the way it was that day and how heavily wooded the area is that he jumped into, it is unlikely anyone would be able to survive that jump.

The FBI seemingly agrees with the assessment because the case was suspended from active investigation on February 8, 2016.

It is not likely that the man known as D.B. Cooper knew that he would become part of American history when he skyjacked the plane. However, he is the central character in an unsolved mystery that has captivated true crime enthusiasts for decades.

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Edward Anderson has quite literally been my partner in crime for three years. He is my friend and co-editor at Crimebeat and an immense talent.

Ed has a way of bringing any story to life and can write on most subjects, from Crime to Pop Culture. Beyond the Headlines is a brilliant page where he explores the truth behind headlines and examines true crime cases. There is also an exploration into myths, paranormal, and supernatural stories.

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