FBI checking 'our most promising' lead in D.B. Cooper case

They won't catch me.

I believe the bigger mystery is what's a Hockenberry and why are all of his/her posts marked "off topic". Also, each post has exactly one star....oooooo, now that's a mystery!

DB Cooper....He was a time traveller sent back in time to give us a mystery to ponder. That's why they only found the parachute and cash, he hit the button on his time travel watch while he was in the air. In the future, American currency is worthless ever since Congress decided not to pass a Debt Ceiling increase way back in 2011 so there was no reason to bring that back.

Guess that settles that, except for the Hockenberry mystery.

reply to post by quango


That was actually very helpful. I probably should have known that having a degree in criminal justice and all... Thanks for the answer!

reply to post by Domo1


Wow, what kind of screw up do you have to be in the FBI to be assigned to the DB Cooper case?

"Hey Thompson, your getting reassigned to the DB Cooper file."

"Noooooooo."

reply to post by boncho


I dunno man, if the case is actually about to be solved I would be asking how lucky do you have to be to get the assignment. I've always loved the story and I think it would be an honor to be the guy that finally gets closure on the whole thing.

I'm sort of embarrassed I posted this now. I just thought ATS would appreciate it being a mystery and all.

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by boncho

 

I dunno man, if the case is actually about to be solved I would be asking how lucky do you have to be to get the assignment. I've always loved the story and I think it would be an honor to be the guy that finally gets closure on the whole thing.

I'm sort of embarrassed I posted this now. I just thought ATS would appreciate it being a mystery and all.

No, no, it is a great post. But to be honest, the guy is a mythic, modern day folk hero. I don't think people really want him to be found.

And while it is an important case to the FBI, I can't see them putting their best and brightest on the case. I mean, at first sure, but after awhile I think the top notch guys would just be banging their head off the wall since it has been so long.

That is not to condone what he did, but it is kind of like the "catch me if you can" story, where people enjoy rooting for the bad guy.

Nobody really wants to DB Cooper to be found because deep down inside everybody cheers the man who can get away and vanish like a storybook bandit hero.

I'm pretty sure even the most law abding person (which I certainly am) has a small twinge of favorable feeling to DB Cooper.

dad gummer jumped the hail out the back end of a dad gum 727 doing 180 knots in da dark....dahannngggg
can you imagine?!!

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by boncho

 

I'm sort of embarrassed I posted this now. I just thought ATS would appreciate it being a mystery and all.

I think its a good thread as well, I dont know why it hasnt garnered more attention?

reply to post by Domo1


While this is definitely one of my favorite mysteries, I'm inclined to agree with most of the other posters. The real issue isn't who was "DB Cooper" - the real issue is after 40 years, why does the FBI care? Just to get it off the books? What is the statute of limitations on this? How much time/money/resources are they really wasting just to find out what happened to $200,000....


I can't remember the name of the person who was the last suspect, but the evidence was pretty good. If it turns out to be him, he's dead anyway....

Don't we have bigger fish to fry?


Still, I can't lie, I'm curious - if they do finally put a real name to DB Cooper it would be very cool!


So I leave torn on the issues. ♥

The guy jacked 200Gs and jumped out of an airplane in the dead of night. Even if I was the lead investigator back in '71 I would say screw it, he earned it

reply to post by Bordon81


Uh, it was not the 60's. The highjacking was in 1971. Did you even bother to read the excerpt in the OP?

Even in my youth I liked the DB Cooper story. He's still one of my favorite people. Sort of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid without the great movie.

Every time I walked on one of those rear ramps I couldn't help but imagine the idea DB jumping off.

The only thing I regret is his legacy. The introduction of passenger inspections for commercial airline travel. Prior to that all you needed was a boarding pass, no id required. There was a rash of hijackings back then, but they never hurt anyone like the bad guys of today.

Nope, I don't think he's quite dead yet.

He probably had to wear a beard for most of his life to hide that distinct facial shape.

Wonder what the value of 200k would be in today's dollars, I'd guess between 800k - 2 million.

I believe without a doubt that DB Cooper either died during the jump, or shortly afterwards from injuries or from exposure to the elements. The jump was over a remote area of the Pacific Northwest and there's no way he landed without a few injuries. He jumped in the pitch black, 200mph wind and rain, no reserve chute. No way he is alive.

Also, NONE of the money that was given to him has ever turned up in circulation - the FBI recorded all the serial numbers. Some of the money (I believe $5,000) was later found along the banks of the Columbia River along the Oregon/Washington border in the early 1980s.

reply to post by ChrisF231


Yeah I doubt he is alive. Would be great though to read a tell all written by him. I was under the impression he jumped with a demonstration chute or something. I believe there were two instances where the money was found. One by a boy, the other by a man. The FBI apparently let the man keep the money. If he had parachute training maybe. I could get along pretty well up here in the Pacific Northwest for awhile personally.

I always wondered if the flight crew was in on it and hid him somewhere on the plane somehow. Seems awful strange to let everyone else go

reply to post by Domo1

ABC News article here says that the suspect "died about 10 years ago" meaning that he SURVIVED the jump
abcnews.go.com...

Props to DB Cooper whoever he really is. The guy beat the FBI! (not that I condone criminality but still). I suspect that the suspect's name is William Gosset who died in 2003.

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by ChrisF231

 

If he had parachute training maybe. I could get along pretty well up here in the Pacific Northwest for awhile personally.

I live in the PNW as well and like to believe I have a somewhat respectable back ground of outdoors experience and the respective woodcraft skill that comes with it.

Even without the relatively low level jump in the dark, I wouldn't want to consider taking my chances in a random spot of the Cascades in late november with nothing but a business suit, a parachute and a pair of loafers.

It is not unusual for people to die from exposure in the summertime up here and there is a huge difference in those mountains between late july and late november.

I'm not meaning to imply that someone with the necessary skillset couldn't orientate themselves and make there way out but I believe it would be a death sentence for most.

Mountain survival possibilities aside, here is an interesting bit I just stumbled on (whilst verifying D.B. Coopers attire before hitting the post button, a good lesson for some of you kids reading along at home. )

This is written by an experienced skydiver and talks specifically about replicating the jump from a similar aircraft in the 1990's...

Anderson reflected on the hijacking when he boarded a Boeing 727, the same model that Cooper jumped from, at the World Freefall Convention in Quincy, Illinois, in the mid-1990s. Anderson explained the instructions jumpers received before boarding for the four-minute ride to altitude this way: “We were instructed to be completely geared up before boarding; helmets on and goggles on. We all had to make sure all our gear—closing flaps, riser covers, shoes, shoelaces—were completely secure.”

Jumpers at the convention had a choice of exiting on a slow pass of 134 knots or a fast pass of 182 knots. Anderson says “I went on the slow pass at 155 miles per hour. The aft stairway was removed. I was surprised how small the opening was. You couldn’t get two people to jump together.”

Jumpers were advised to exit with arms and legs in, almost in a fetal position. Nonetheless, the exit was much different from what Anderson expected, and he was caught off guard. “The first thing you noticed after exit was the heat from the jet engines and the smell of jet fuel. There was a dead void, then the blast from jet steam. It felt like I was being tackled from behind.”

parachutistonline.com/The Secrets of D.B. Cooper, Part Two - Evidence of Absence

Sounds brutal just getting out the door, I hadn't realized the fact that D.B. Coopers was the first recreational skydiving attempt from a jet (according to the linked article although the wiki entry suggests the CIA had already used 727's to parachute agents in S.E. Asia.)

You learn something new everyday around here.

reply to post by ChrisF231


William Gossett was one of the original suspects, the article said specifically someone until now unknown to the investigation?

reply to post by Domo1

Well the FBI may have finally cracked this case! It is a bit had to get too excited though as they've investigated around 1,000 suspects. If they have partial prints and partial DNA (anyone care to explain partial DNA it would be appreciated) they may just be able to match up the suspect. I always wondered if he had survived, though doubted it. The FBI isn't releasing that information yet though.

Great job, FBI! And keep investigating this 40-year-old hijacking for another 40 years if that's what it takes to get this bad guy locked up! We need to get this perp! By all means! And, no hurry on launching a real investigation into the criminals behind that other hijacking incident that killed 3,000 people a while back. It's already 10 years after the fact....what's another 10!

I mean, you guys still have the JFK assassination to solve on TOP of this D.B. Cooper thing! Your plates are full!

Originally posted by NightGypsy
reply to post by Domo1

 

Well the FBI may have finally cracked this case! It is a bit had to get too excited though as they've investigated around 1,000 suspects. If they have partial prints and partial DNA (anyone care to explain partial DNA it would be appreciated) they may just be able to match up the suspect. I always wondered if he had survived, though doubted it. The FBI isn't releasing that information yet though.

Great job, FBI! And keep investigating this 40-year-old hijacking for another 40 years if that's what it takes to get this bad guy locked up! We need to get this perp! By all means! And, no hurry on launching a real investigation into the criminals behind that other hijacking incident that killed 3,000 people a while back. It's already 10 years after the fact....what's another 10!

I mean, you guys still have the JFK assassination to solve on TOP of this D.B. Cooper thing! Your plates are full!

edit on 1-8-2011 by NightGypsy because: (no reason given)

The latest lead in the case originated with a source in law enforcement, who directed agents to a person who was close to the suspect...But Gutt told Reuters that "we're seeking to compare prints and finding stuff that can add more solid evidence. We have to wait. We're still recovering some additional items. It's a process, and it's not a priority matter ."

FBI: 'D.B. Cooper' lead points to man dead for 10 years

They were only following up on a recent tip and its not a priority, I hope that helps put you a bit more at ease regarding continued federal waste in funding the D.B. Cooper taskforce...