The FBI is still looking D.B. Cooper ... no, really

The FBI sent out a press release this morning, saying they're putting a new focus on the D.B. Cooper case. It's one of the most mythologized crime stories from the last century. Cooper -- a pseudonym, obviously -- hijacked a Boeing flying from Portland to Seattle, and was able to get $200,000 in ransom money. He jumped from the plane somewhere over the Cascade Mountains in dark, stormy weather. He's never been seen since.

The feds were able to get a DNA sample from Cooper's tie, which is how they were able to rule out somebody who claimed to be Cooper on his deathbed.

The FBI says they think Cooper probably died in the jump back in 1971, but they're releasing new details about the case to make sure. (I lean toward the "devoured-by-bears" theory.)

Here's a Wikipedia entry on the case. And a Crime Library article. And an FBI brief on the case.

Comments

[Nick]

Well their justification for ruling out being an experience paratrooper is rather thin.

The fact is, paratroopers always jump in the middle of the night, often in the rain and always with a 200 mph wind in their face. Anything else is called, "A Hollywood Jump". Loafers and a Trench coat are irrelevant.

As for his reserve, that is a bit strange, but, if he had calculated his flight time to Time on Target he may simply have run out of time to check the reserve. Especially considering he had as many as 4 mains to check for serviceability. That takes time. Frankly, I am surprised he even bothered with a reserve.

[Liz]

I'm all for justice, but I wonder how much money the FBI has expended towards this case of a $200,000 ransom? He didn't kill anybody, can the FBI focus on a higher priority case?

[Nick]

Liz, Liz, Liz, don't you know? When you are spending someone else's money, there is no price too high, when it comes to enhancing one's own reputation for leaving no stone unturned. ;-)

[kayceewolf]

Didn't I read in Weekly World News a few years ago that D.B. Cooper had been sighted being held as a captive "love slave" by a group of insatiable Sasquatches? (Or is it Sasquati?) They wouldn't have printed it if it wasn't true.

[Grizzly Bear]

Pft! DB Cooper is pimpin teh Sasquatch azz!

[Joe Six-Pack]

I guess its this or rummaging through dumpsters behind massage joints looking for condom wrappers. And since the massage joints are all gone now, FBI has to stay busy on something. They already have tens of thousands of agents on the payroll, they have to do something.

[unnamed assailant]

FBI...Famous But Ignorant

[ProphetPX]

And ... "I am D.B. Cooper!"
lol

How were they able to get his tie for a DNA did he take it off during the flight?

[The Zipper]

I had drinks with D.B. Cooper and Evel Knievel at the Bait Shack in Stanley (the old Joe's barn) in 1997.

[John]

In other news.....The hunt for the killers of Otzi the bronze age iceman continues...

[CRT]

The FBI supposedly switched its focus to counter-terrorism after 9/11, but they have few real successes to show for their efforts.

In several trials the supposed terrorists have been found not guilty, or guilty of minor charges.

And they can hardly trumpet their illegal surveillance of peace groups and Muslim charities.

So it's time to drag out a diversion -- such as an interesting, but meaningless case from the past. D.B. Cooper where are you?

[Gary]

Man I thought everybody knew that he disguised himself as a Chinese dishwasher in San Francisco & gave the 200,000.00 to H. Clinton along with the other "dishwashers"....

[steve-o]

to old crack-smoking paratrooper wannabe; what kinda crap you spouting about 200 mph winds and checking 4 mains? i've got 350 jumps, which is really a cut above nothing these days, about 20 on old 32 ft round military rigs and yer brain must be fried. your old dc-3's (c-47's to you) and in fact all jump planes throttle back to 10% over stall on jump run, which is a hell of a lot less than 200 mph -REAL jumpers talk knots, einstein- and you never jumped with 4 mains in your sad life. the 4-main is for heavy equipment ONLY. you (if you ever jumped at all) were on a 32ft or maybe a 28ft round static line canopy. the important facts about the jump are this; one, he knew a good bit about what plane to hijack as the 727 he jumpd from had a rear exit. it was the only commercial aircraft that did at the time and the faa made all commercial airlines seal those exits after that. it was important he exit the rear of a turbine (jet) aircraft because even if he made the pilot stall the aircraft, which i seriously doubt, (poh says about 120 knots, i think)the "prop blast" ie turbulence at that airspeed would have left him nothing more than a red streak of blood behind the exit door if he went out the side. likely he went out on same equipment with a pull-out type cord, did a 10 second delay and popped the main. he'd then have had to manuever the canopy in almost pitch darkness, while at the mercy of whatever the prevailing winds dealt (these canopies were virtually unsteerable) hit an open, hopefully flat spot, do a plf and then somehow hike out of backcountry with 120 lbs of money, with no hiking boots, water, appropriate clothing for the mountains or way to discern where the hell he even landed within 20 miles even if he had a map. kinda a snowballs chance in hell of survivial basically. he most likely hit his head on exit, fell unconsciously to earth and buried in the snow and eaten by a bear come spring. that the fbi didnt figure any of this out shows what a bunch of borderline morons they are. makes a nice story and cops always hate the guy who outsmarts then (expecially the fbi-type idiots). this is nothing but a huge waste of taxpayer money by a bunch of worse than stoopid losers. go fight some real crime. i'm sure there's alot of corporate crinimals out there which anyone with a 6th grade education could catch if they wanted to. guess i just eliminated these clowns....

[Marvin]

Thanks for the LEGITIMATE info, Steve-o. But, I'm guessing the reason his name has resurfaced is that they have new leads.

[JetRanger]

Uhmmm - I hate to BUST everybodys Bubble here, but DB COOPER died in a Florida Hospital about 2 or 3 years ago, and had some of the old money from the heist with him, and the serial numbers were a match. He died with his wife at his bed side, and admitted to her who he really was, and it was documented too ! Also it was on the news too, and they interviewed his wife also days after his death ! Sorry to Disappoint everybody. FBI- why don't you know this ???? Is there NO Communication between the Bureaus and DOJ ???????? Hello - !!!!!!!!!!

[Nick]

Steve-O,
I think your drunk bubba. Congratulations on your 350 jumps. I won't get into comparing numbers my friend but I assure you 350 jumps is not very impressive.

Now if your sanctimonious self will read what I wrote and read the freaking story before making a fool of yourself, you will see that FBI claimed he demanded and recieved four parachutes.

If you ever had any HIHO experience then you know it is possible to calculate your flight time to an approximate DZ and generally come within 30 clicks of your target.

I NEVER said a single word about the man jumping four chutes. I said he had to check them. As in, check to see if they were serviceable you arrogant asshole.

Yes, Marvin I am aware that paratroopers talk knots, but the story, fool, talked mph. If you had read it before making a fool of yourself, you would have understood this.

Now, lets get to your throttle back speeds. Yes, the pilot does decelerate depending on the conditions between 10 to 20% depending on the type of jump, whether conditions and many other factors, but, as you know this does not always happen and certain portions of a chalk can easily be exiting the aircrat during an acceleration cycle. The stall speed for a C141 Starlifter is 141 knots and the Military verison of the 727, (KC-10) is 169 knots. The rating for the old T-10 and MC 1-1's are both 270 knots. Judging from the reserve chute pictured and label as a it is likely that he jumped one of these chutes.

With weapons and equipment a paratroopers load can and does exceed 200 lbs and a 200mph wind equals approximately 170 knots, well within the tolerances of the equipment.

I never once said it would be easy or a sure thing, but it is unquestionably possible.

Also, how you ever got the idea that 200k in cash weighs 120 pounds I will not even fathom a guess, but if you look at the picture in the article you clearly did not read he wasn't jumping silver dollars!

Now Marvin, stop answering your own posts. It's tacky.

[Nick]

Note: Before you go claiming I said something I didn't again, that should say 10 - 20% above stall.

[Johnson]

Good job Steve-0. As usual Nick pretends to be an expert about something he knows absolutely nothing about. Usually he tells tall tales about all the convicts and criminals he has dealt with, which no one believes, or he just has something nonsensical to post, which everyone ignores.

[Nick]

Marvin, UA..., how many names you have bubba?

[Johnson]

Not Marvin. Just someone else that knows a phony when they read your posts. Now get back to cooking those egg McMuffins Nick.

[Nick]

Whatever you say CM. ;-)

[DB]

Stop with the shouting, were through with the shouting. I am DB Cooper, I was also the second gunmen on the grassy knoll. But all thats nothing compared to this one time at band camp ................

[Jonathan]

Nick - Just remember...It's computer group night.....

[unnamed assailant]

Steve-o that was way intersting, especially since I have never sky dived. I would have thought that just faliing through the trees would have killed the dude.

I have to say though I took exception to you calling the FBI "borderline morons". That part is BS. They are full blown morons.

[unnamed assailant]

Nick, retard, I am not afraid to post my username on this site. To even think that someone would do that shows what a pu$$y you are.

I don't need any help with my little battles with you and Jonothan and Quad Queen. We are on a blog you goofy dude. We ain't in dodge City at high noon. If we were you'd be in the bar watching from the window.

What a loser!

[Jake]

Remember, Cooper had a brief case with him, and no one knows what was in it. He could have had boots (for landing), a beacon or 2 way radio(so someone could locate and pick him up) and any number of small pices of gear that could have helped him land and get away. I figure if he didn't get killed on a tree or drowned in water during landing, he had a pretty good shot of getting away with it.

[jpbikerfreak aka cartman]

Wow, Nick is the whipping boy today I guess.

Jeezeee people call a truce!

Hey if it makes y'all feel better- I've had ONE jump in my life, it was a tandem with an instructor on a perfect summer day, and I really know nothing about skydiving other than it scared the hell out of me, it almost ripped me limb for limb when the chute opened, and I could hardley catch my breath in time to keep from passing out.

That's my one jump know-it-all post. LOL

[Quad Kings]

Nick, you and I have espoused different positions on this blog a number of times. Don't worry about this dude; he's posted under different (imposter) names before, he'll do it again. Tries to create the illusion someone is on his side. And I think he just called himself a name by projecting on to you. ( :

You should feel vidication in the fact that he is an insignificant, little, name-calling, troll who believes he has ongoing battles with multipe posters here (and makes-up imaginary friends to join his side).

If he reads this, I hope he decides to get some help in 2008.

[Quad Kings]

Wait for it ... wait ... hold on ...

[Sasquach]

To me this seems like one of those "if he actually made it he deserved to get away" scenarios. Sort of like the guy who jumped off the 3rd story balcony sometime last year, landed like a cat, and ran off into the woods.

[unnamed assailant]

Say what Queenie?

[Gary]

Well........how about a few of you guys get together and do a jump and compare notes - that would settle everything - maybe??

[Nick]

Don't worry about this dude; he's posted under different (imposter) names before, he'll do it again. - Quad

Oh I'm not, it just took me a bit to realize it was our resident troll with Sybil Syndrome. I probably should have recognized him immediately, but with so many aliases, it is easier to wait for him to lose it. He always does.

No Jonathan, group nite is Wednesday, but being a holiday, I am sure the Thunderbird was flowing like wine in halfway heaven. ;-)

[Rutabaga 66]

The sketch of Cooper looks uncannily like those of the original Men in Black, leading me to surmise this was all a merry prank by space beings, those zany tricksters.

[Marvin]

Nick,

You're an idiot and showing it as usual. I don't know enough about paratroopers to even attempt to write what Steve-O just did. I guess if someone makes you look like a fool, it has to be a conspiracy, huh?

[Kris]

What about that Bin Laden guy?,,wait,,wrong thread,,nevermind.

[x-ray fluorescence]

Hi,
Good job. As usual Nick pretends to be an expert about something he knows absolutely nothing about that...

[freak]

whare's the list of # of the note's?