On November 24, 1971, a man known as DB Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft flying from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington. He claimed to have a bomb and demanded $200,000 in cash and four parachutes. After receiving the ransom, he ordered the plane to take off again and jump out somewhere between Seattle and Reno, Nevada. The hijacker, who had used the name Dan Cooper when he bought his ticket, was never seen again.
The case of DB Cooper has fascinated the public for decades. Who was this mysterious man? And what happened to him? Despite an extensive investigation, the FBI has never been able to positively identify DB Cooper, and the case remains unsolved to this day.
There have been countless theories and suspects over the years, but none have been proven. Some have speculated that Cooper was a former military paratrooper or an experienced skydiver, given his ability to jump from a moving plane at night with minimal gear. Others have suggested that he may have been a disgruntled airline employee or a criminal seeking to fund a larger operation.
The FBI has released composite sketches of the hijacker based on witness descriptions, but they have never been able to match them to a specific individual. In 1980, a young boy found a package of Cooper's ransom money along the banks of the Columbia River, leading some to believe that Cooper may have died in the jump.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, the DB Cooper case remains a cultural touchstone and has inspired countless books, movies, and documentaries. The hijacking represents a unique moment in American history, and the identity of DB Cooper continues to capture the public's imagination.
The true identity of DB Cooper may never be known, but the story of his daring heist and mysterious disappearance will continue to fascinate people for generations to come.