On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, a man using the alias “Dan Cooper” boarded Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 in Portland, Oregon. He was dressed in a business suit, carrying a briefcase, and appeared to be just another middle-aged businessman. However, what he did next would make him a legend in American crime history.
Shortly after takeoff, Cooper handed a note to a flight attendant stating he had a bomb. He opened his briefcase to reveal wires and red cylinders, reinforcing the threat. His demands were simple: $200,000 in cash, four parachutes, and a fuel truck standing by in Seattle for a getaway.
Disappearance without a Trace
Unsurprisingly, the airline complied. When the plane landed in Seattle, Cooper released the 36 passengers unharmed. He kept the crew onboard and directed the plane to take off again, heading toward Mexico City at low altitude and slow speed. Somewhere over the dense wilderness of southwestern Washington, Cooper opened the rear stairs and parachuted into the night.
Despite a massive search involving the FBI, military aircraft, and ground teams, no trace of Cooper was ever definitively found. He disappeared into legend, leaving behind only a black tie, a clip-on tie pin, and 66 unidentified fingerprints. The money he received, about $1.3 million today, was mainly never spent or recovered. To this day, the D.B. Cooper case remains the only unsolved hijacking in U.S. history.
The Name “D.B. Cooper” Was a Mistake
Interestingly, “D.B. Cooper” was never the hijacker’s actual alias. The press mistakenly published that name after confusing him with a Portland man with a minor criminal record. The real alias he used was “Dan Cooper,” which may have been inspired by a Belgian comic book hero known for sky adventures.
The Investigations and Subsequent Discoveries
The FBI was left with very little to go on. The tie found on his seat bore traces of rare metal particles like titanium, leading some to believe Cooper may have worked in aerospace or a related industry. The parachutes he requested were standard issues, and he seemed to know how to use them effectively. This suggested some level of jump training.
In 1980, a young boy named Brian Ingram found a rotting bundle of $20 bills along the Columbia River. The serial numbers matched the ransom money, yet no body or parachute was ever located nearby. The find only deepened the mystery, offering no definitive clues but confirming that at least some of the money ended up in the wild.
The Case’s Progress Over the Years
Over the decades, the FBI investigated hundreds of suspects; some even confessed. Most were ruled out due to poor alibis, lack of parachuting experience, or no physical resemblance. Others seemed like strong candidates but lacked compelling evidence to link them directly to the crime.
On the other hand, many experts believe Cooper likely didn’t survive the jump. The weather that night was poor, the terrain rugged, and he was ill-equipped for survival in the wilderness. Others argue he must have made it, citing his calm demeanor, extensive planning, and detailed aviation knowledge.
After 45 years of active investigation, the FBI officially closed the case in 2016. They claimed no significant leads had emerged in years and opted to reallocate resources to more current threats. Still, the public fascination with Cooper never faded.
The emergence of Richard Floyd McCoy Jr. As the Real D.B. Cooper
Among all the suspects, one stands out more than any other: Richard Floyd McCoy Jr. A Vietnam veteran, helicopter pilot, and skydiving enthusiast, McCoy committed a nearly identical hijacking just five months after the Cooper incident. The similarities between the two crimes are too striking to ignore.
On April 7, 1972, McCoy boarded United Airlines Flight 855 in Denver and handed a note to a flight attendant demanding $500,000 and four parachutes. He used a fake grenade and pistol to control the plane and eventually parachuted out over Utah. He was later arrested after leaving behind fingerprints and incriminating items in his getaway car.
Both hijackings involved commercial planes, similar flight demands, and nearly identical escape methods. Both hijackers appeared calm, well-prepared, and knowledgeable about flight operations and parachuting. McCoy even resembled Cooper, according to sketches and was known to use aliases and disguise tactics.
Additionally, McCoy’s military experience gave him extensive knowledge of parachuting under challenging conditions. He had participated in helicopter combat missions in Vietnam and taught aviation classes in the National Guard. This background made him one of the few people capable of executing such a high-risk escape.
Why the FBI Dismissed Him
The FBI eventually ruled McCoy out because he was in Las Vegas with his family during the Cooper hijacking. However, critics argue that this alibi wasn’t airtight and may have been fabricated or misinterpreted. Given the FBI’s intense desire to close the case and McCoy’s family coming out to dispute the alibi, it’s possible the officers moved on too quickly.
Moreover, Former FBI agent Russell Calame and parole officer Bernie Rhodes are convinced that McCoy was D.B. Cooper. They point to McCoy’s meticulous planning, nearly identical hijacking, and strong physical match. Rhodes even co-authored a book arguing the case: D.B. Cooper: The Real McCoy.
What Happened to Richard Floyd McCoy Jr.?
After being sentenced to 45 years in prison for the United Airlines Flight 855 heist, McCoy escaped by carving a fake gun out of dental paste and commandeering a garbage truck. He was later tracked down by the FBI in Virginia, where he was killed in a shootout in 1974. With his death, many believe the truth about D.B. Cooper may have died too.
Though officially dismissed, the case against McCoy has never been fully debunked. The circumstantial evidence is convincing, and the timing of both crimes is suggestive. It’s entirely possible that McCoy lost all the money in the first attempt, prompting him to try again before he was caught.