![]() The pace quickened to three per month during the summer of 1969. The first airliner hijacked to Cuba was in 1961. There it was confirmed that Cooper, the ransom, the bomb and a parachute were gone.Ī worldwide phenomena at the time, hijackings typically ran their course and were forgotten. This high-drag configuration rapidly consumed a full load of jet fuel, requiring a refueling stop in Reno, Nev., shortly after 11. The remaining crew of four was instructed to fly through the inky darkness destined for Mexico City at 10,000 feet, unpressurized, with flaps and landing gear extended. Bill Mitchell, a college student seated in 15A, reported seeing thermal long underwear extending into the gap between Cooper’s pant cuffs and the loafers he wore. Some estimated the hijacker’s age at about 45. The 35 other passengers, plus two of the three flight attendants, were released in Seattle and interviewed by the FBI. His clean-cut appearance, rational demeanor and technical knowledge were all indicators of a bright, normal person. (AP Photo)Īfter the 727 landed in Seattle, Cooper’s demands for refueling, $200,000 in cash and four parachutes were met. Remaining on board were the flight crew and Tina Mucklow, a cabin attendant who assisted him. The hijacker released all the 727’s passengers. YOU ARE BEING HIJACKED.” When the attendant put the note, unread, into her pocket, Cooper said, “Miss, you’d better look at that note. Not long after takeoff he handed a note to the nearest flight attendant that said, in neatly drawn capital letters: “I HAVE A BOMB IN MY BRIEFCASE. With the declaration of open seating, Cooper settled himself into seat 18E in the very last row and then purchased with cash a bourbon and soda while chain-smoking Raleigh filtered cigarettes. The passenger load of 36 Thanksgiving travelers was unusually light for a pre-holiday afternoon. for the short hop from Portland to Seattle. ![]() ![]() Maybe a “little guy” had actually beaten the system?Ī nondescript olive-skinned man carrying a black briefcase and traveling alone under the ticketed name of Dan Cooper boarded the 727 at 3 p.m. ![]() A new and novel form of grand larceny in the tradition of Bonnie and Clyde seemed to have been created. The audacious hijacking of Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 on November 24, 1971, degenerated into a frustrating quest for the FBI while remaining a fascinating “who done it” for the rest of us. Still unsolved after five decades, this aviation mystery evolved from a short list of solid facts into an urban legend bearing a thick overlay of conjecture. Cooper: Who Was History's Most Famous Hijacker? Close ![]()
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