Page 72 - All About History - Issue 16-14

10 Daring Heists

The aerial heist of DB Cooper Heist schedule
24 nov 1971

An unknown man takes 36 people hostage in mid-flight, 2:50pm
The flight departs
then disappears with the ransom into the darkness A nondescript man of average height, described
as being in his 40s, buys a ticket in the name of
$200,000 It all begins around mid- $1,160,000 today), four parachutes and a fuel truck ‘Dan Cooper’ (later misheard by the media as ‘DB
afternoon on Thanksgiving waiting for the plane’s arrival. Cooper’) to Seattle, Washington.
Eve. A nondescript Caucasian The flight attendant passes the demands to
man in a black suit and tie the pilot, who relays them to ground control. The 3:00pm
approaches the Northwest Orient Airlines desk aeroplane then circles over the state of Washington The heist begins
After lighting a cigarette and ordering a whiskey,
at Portland International Airport in Oregon and for two hours while the president of Northwest
the man casually passes a ransom note to one of
buys a one-way ticket on Flight 305 to Seattle, Orient works with local authorities to meet the flight attendants. The rest of the passengers are
Washington. Carrying an expensive-looking attache Cooper’s demands. With everything now in place, none the wiser.
case, the man identifies himself as “Dan Cooper” the plane touches down on an isolated part of
and proceeds to take his seat on the Boeing 272 McChord Air Force Base. Once on the ground, one 3:i5pm
sat on the tarmac. The aircraft taxis off the runway of the airline’s employees delivers the money along The demands are made
The air hostess passes the ransom note to the pilot
on time and cruises to 9,100 metres (30,000 feet) with the parachutes to Cooper, who then releases
who relays it to the authorities. The pilot tells the
without a hitch. The unassuming man in the black his hostages. With the plane now also refuelled, passengers there’s a delay in Seattle so they will
suit orders bourbon, lights a cigarette and proceeds Cooper directs the pilots to cruise toward Mexico circle the skies for a few hours.
to pass a note to one of the flight attendants. It City at the slowest air speed possible without
reads: “I have a bomb in my briefcase. I will use stalling the aircraft. Around 8pm Cooper opens the 5:24pm
it if necessary. I want you to sit next to me. You aft staircase and leaps from the plane with the cash The ransom is met
Cooper’s demands of cash, a refuelling truck and a
are being hijacked.” He informs the attendant that and the parachutes. He and the money are never
set of four parachutes are met. Cooper’s hijacked
he wants $200,000 (equivalent to £680,000 / seen again. plane is asked to land at Seattle-Tacoma Airport.

5:39pm
Passengers released
The Boeing touches down and Cooper releases
all the passengers, leaving four members of the
crew on board. During this time the cash and the
parachutes are delivered while the plane is refuelled.
7:24pm
Taking off again
Now refuelled, Cooper politely orders the pilot to
take the plane back into the skies over Seattle. Two
scrambled jet fighters follow the plane for a while
but soon pull away to refuel.
8:i3pm
Cooper jumps
After putting on his parachute and tying the money
Who to his chest, Cooper asks that the aft stairs be
was DB opened. Despite the pilot’s protest, he opens the
stairs. Cooper leaps into the darkness.
Cooper?
i0:i5pm
The plane lands
Having turned the plane around, the pilot lands the
plane back at Seattle-Tacoma. The authorities begin
their search but it’s late and the night is stormy.
Cooper and the money have vanished.

Theory 1 Theory 2 Theory 3 “I have a bomb
One of earliest theories adopted by Taking into account Cooper’s actions The FBI has argued from the beginning
authorities was that Cooper was an Air following the release of the hostages that Cooper was unlikely to have in my briefcase.
Force veteran familiar with the Seattle at McChord Air Force base, some survived his night-time jump. “Diving
Area. During the flight, Cooper (whose believe he lacked the experience into the wilderness without a plan, I will use it if
moniker ‘DB Cooper’ finds its origins and foresight of a professional without the right equipment, in such
in the media mishearing his chosen parachutist. According to this terrible conditions, he probably never necessary […]
misnomer) correctly identified the particular group of theorists, an even got his ‘chute open”, commented
city of Tacoma from the air, as well as experienced jumper would never special agent Larry Carr. Since the FBI
knowing that McChord Air Force base have chosen to make the jump in believed Cooper acted alone, without You are being
was a 20-minute drive from Seattle- pitch darkness, in the rain and with a an accomplice to guide him to safety
Tacoma Airport – a fact a civilian 320km/h (200mph) wind whipping on the ground, they assumed he most hijacked”
wouldn’t normally know. him and his chute around. likely died that night.

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