History of Events
The Hijacking
Nov. 24, 1971
Thanksgiving Eve, a man in his mid-forties bought a one-way
ticket from Portland International Airport on flight 305 to
Seattle Tacoma. He handed a note to the stewardess on board
telling her he had a bomb and requested $200,000 in unmarked
bills and 4 parachutes. After landing in Seattle, the passengers
were released and the demands were met. The plane was refueled and directed
toward Mexico City. Somewhere over Washington, the hijacker
parachuted out of the back of the plane. He was never seen
again.
The clues of Dan "D.B." Cooper's proficient hijacking have been
deliberated and speculated upon for the past three decades and
counting.
There were many hijackings in the early 1970's. Some of those were for political and some for financial gain but only one remains unsolved.
The
Clues...
Money Found
Feb. 10, 1980
Cooper was wise in making sure he kept his clues minimal, by
requesting his notes returned and taking most everything off the
plane with him when he jumped. Cigarette butts and a tie clasp were all that remained until an eight year old boy dug up three bundles of 20 dollar bills on the banks of the Columbia River.
Those $5800 in 20 dollar bills matched the
serial numbers to Cooper's money.
1986
The FBI retained a portion for evidence. In court, the FBI handed over a part of the find to Brian Ingram and Northwest Airlines
Insurance company. The insurance company, after many mergers and acquisitions, now has no trace of the money. Leaving Ingram's collection, the largest in the world
Dead or
Alive?
Cooper jumped on a stormy night into freezing rain and dark unknown
territory with mile high mountains and 150 foot Douglas firs.
Authenticated
by PCGS
2008
Recently Brian Ingram took a trip
to to California to have D. B. Coopers Loot verified by PCGS
Currency:
PCGS
Currency Certifies Legendary “D.B. Cooper” Skyjacking Ransom Notes.
Sold at Heritage Auction Galleries
June 13 2008 Cooper's loot is sold at auction bringing close to 37,000 dollars at close. Bills ranged from prices as high as $6500.00 for larger bills with FBI initials to $350.00 for smaller fragments.
Books
- D.B. Cooper: What Really Happened by Max Gunther
- D.B. Cooper: Dead or Alive? by Richard T. Tosaw
- D.B. Cooper: The Real McCoy by Bernie Rhodes
- Pursuit of D.B. Cooper by J. D. Reed
- The Return of D.B. Cooper by Gene Elmore
- Norjak The Investigation of D. B. Cooper by Ralph Himmelsbach and Thomas K. Worcester
Movies
- The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper, 1981
- Without a paddle, 2005