Chasing The Last Lead In America's Only Unsolved Skyjacking

It was a crisp autumn evening on November 24, 1971, when a man boarded Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 at Portland International Airport. Little did anyone know that this routine flight to Seattle would become a harrowing tale of mystery and intrigue, marking America's only unsolved skyjacking to this day.

The middle-aged man, who identified himself as Dan Cooper, calmly took his seat in the rear of the Boeing 727 aircraft. He ordered a bourbon and soda, quietly lighting a cigarette, displaying an air of calculated confidence.

Finding DB Cooper: Chasing the Last Lead in America's only Unsolved Skyjacking

by Martin Andrade Jr (Kindle Edition)

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	259 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	102 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

Approximately one hour into the flight, Cooper handed a note to Florence Schaffner, one of the flight attendants nearby. Assuming it was just another passenger complaint, she placed the note unread into her purse. However, Cooper leaned closer and whispered, "Miss, you'd better look at that note. I have a bomb."

Cooper's handwritten note indeed proclaimed his intention to hijack the plane and demanded $200,000 in cash (equivalent to $1.29 million today) and four parachutes upon arrival in Seattle. Fearing for the lives of the 36 passengers and flight crew, Schaffner relayed the message to the cockpit.

Upon landing in Seattle, the airline authorities and FBI agreed to meet Cooper's demands, discreetly providing the ransom money and parachutes. In exchange, Cooper allowed all passengers to disembark but insisted on keeping several crew members, including the flight captain, William Scott, and co-pilot, Bill Rataczak.

While the plane refueled, Cooper outlined his plan to the remaining crew members: a course towards Mexico City, flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet with the landing gear lowered and flaps set at a 15-degree angle. Despite their cooperation, the crew couldn't help but wonder about Cooper's knowledge of aviation principles.

As the plane ascended, Cooper calmly donned dark sunglasses, attaching one of the parachutes to his back, ready to face the unknown. It was around 8:13 pm when a red warning light in the cockpit indicated the rear stairs had been lowered, confirming Cooper's intention to jump.

Exiting the plane somewhere between Seattle and Reno, Cooper vanished into the misty night sky, diving into uncertainty and anonymity. Despite extensive searches, neither Cooper nor his parachute was ever found, leaving authorities puzzled and the public captivated by the mystery that unfolded in the skies that night.

Over the years, the hunt for answers has led to countless theories and speculations. Was Cooper an experienced skydiver? Did he land safely or perish? Could he have forged a new identity, blending into society undetected?

One of the most compelling leads originated from a discovery in 1980, when a young boy stumbled upon a decaying bundle of ransom money on the Columbia River's sandy banks. The serial numbers matched those used in the ransom given to Cooper.

Could this be the clue that finally unravels the unsolved skyjacking? An investigation ensued, but no definitive answers emerged, leaving the case shrouded in more mystery.

Fast forward to present day, where a dedicated group of sleuths continues to chase the last lead in America's only unsolved skyjacking. Using modern technology and advanced techniques, they scrutinize every piece of evidence and testimonial, hoping to unearth the truth.

The chase has been far from easy, often leading them down rabbit holes and dead ends. Yet, the group remains undeterred, fueled by the quest for closure and the desire to unveil the full story of Dan Cooper and what happened that fateful night.

Chasing The Last Lead In America's Only Unsolved Skyjacking is not only an exploration of a thrilling unsolved mystery but also a testament to human resilience and the pursuit of the truth. It reminds us that some stories refuse to fade away and continue to captivate our imagination.

Will we ever know who Dan Cooper really was? What happened to him after he jumped into the night sky? The answers may lie within the final lead waiting to be unraveled, promising a resolution to a mystery that has intrigued the nation for over five decades.

As the chase for the truth continues, the unsolved skyjacking remains a chilling reminder that some secrets can be carried away by the wind, forever eluding those who seek them.

Finding DB Cooper: Chasing the Last Lead in America's only Unsolved Skyjacking

by Martin Andrade Jr (Kindle Edition)

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	259 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	102 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

The day before Thanksgiving in 1971, a man wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase boarded a Northwest Orient flight in Portland, bound for Seattle. Claiming to have a bomb, the skyjacker held the passengers and crew for $200,000 ransom while demanding four parachutes. After getting his money and parachutes in Seattle, the Boeing 727 took off, going south to Reno. About a half an hour later, the mysterious hijacker jumped out the back of the aircraft, and disappeared forever. "Norjak" as the FBI would later label it, would become the only unsolved skyjacking in American history. Almost forty years later, new evidence was uncovered when the case was finally opened up to a select group of amateur sleuths. Now, their findings have confirmed one of the scores of stories surrounding the hijacking. Join in the race to find out who D.B Cooper was, following up on the Last Lead in one of America's great unsolved mysteries.