The Mystery Of D.B. Cooper

On November 24, 1971, the day before Thanksgiving, an unidentified man purchased a ticket in cash on Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 from Portland to Seattle under the name "Dan Cooper," which became "D.B. Cooper" due to a media miscommunication. Based on eyewitness testimony, Cooper was in his 40s, approximately 5'10" to 6' tall, and weighed 180 pounds with dark hair. He wore a black suit, white shirt, narrow black clip-on tie with pearl tie clip, black overcoat, and brown shoes, and was carrying an attaché case. Cooper ordered a bourbon and soda before takeoff from a flight attendant named Tina Mucklow. Shortly after 3 p.m., Cooper asked Mucklow to come over and handed her a note in all caps reading, "I HAVE A BOMB IN MY BRIEFCASE. I WILL USE IT IF NECESSARY. I WANT YOU TO SIT NEXT TO ME. YOU ARE BEING HIJACKED." Mucklow sat next to Cooper, and he opened his attaché case, revealing wires and colored sticks. Cooper dictated another note demanding four parachutes and $200,000 in $20 bills, and Mucklow delivered the note to the pilots.

When the plane landed in Seattle, Cooper exchanged the passengers for the parachutes and money, forcing the crew to return to the plane with him. They took off once more, setting a course for Mexico and flying no higher than 10,000 feet. A little past 8 p.m., Cooper jumped from the plane with the cash into a remote wilderness area somewhere between Seattle and Reno, stunning the crew. His whereabouts and identity are unknown.