Curiosities 34 - The Story of Northwest Airlines Flight 305 and the Fate of D.B. Cooper

João Henrique Barboza Jorgetto • April 30, 2024

Unfortunately, airplanes and other public transport are always susceptible to scenes of criminal actions. Cases of aircraft hijackings have become much more frequent. Since the fateful September 11, 2001, after harsh security measures were taken, we have observed that this type of crime has become increasingly rare for the good of all of us.

However, there is a particular case in the history of aviation that, to this day, has yet to be officially resolved. This is one of the biggest mysteries not even the FBI could solve. Discover the story of "D.B. Cooper."

Image reproduced by the FBI of the kidnapper

Portland International Airport, Oregon. The year was 1971. The day was November 24th. A slight man, probably in his 40s, arrived at the Northwest Airlines counter and asked for a ticket to Seattle on a flight of approximately 30 minutes. When asked about his name, he responded, “Dan Cooper.”

Sitting at the back of the plane, along with the other 36 passengers and six crew, Cooper waits for takeoff holding his black suitcase and, as soon as possible, calls the flight attendant to him, handing her a piece of paper. Thinking he is just another foolish flirt, she ignores the note, but then the man comes close and says: "Miss, I advise you to look at this note; I have a bomb."

Flight attendant Florence Schaffner

The paper gave the lyrics, "I have a bomb, and I'm not afraid to use it if I need to. I want you to sit next to me; you're being kidnapped". Still trying to understand, flight attendant Florence Schaffner then asks to see the bomb (!) and is promptly answered by Cooper, showing the contents of the suitcase, with red cylinders and wires that connect them. He then demanded two hundred thousand dollars, four parachutes, and fuel for the plane in Seattle, and he was already thinking about another final destination for Flight 305. Schaffner then passed the information to the pilots, who immediately contacted the airport security lines and informed the passengers that "due to technical problems," the flight would be delayed a little. The owner of Northwest authorized payment of the requested amount and ordered his employees to cooperate to avoid a tragedy. The plane flew over regions near Seattle for two hours until the police and FBI gathered the money and planned negotiations with the hijacker. The man seemed calm and well-articulated, completely deviating from the standard of kidnappers. The police gathered all the requested cash and photographed each of the notes that would be delivered for future money tracking. Upon being informed that everything was by his request, Cooper also asked for a description of the parachutes, giving only the order to exchange the military parachutes for civilian models with manual activation. Once the requirements were met, the plane finally descended for landing.

Actual image of the flight surrounded during negotiation

Upon landing, Cooper guided the pilot where to leave the aircraft. With the plane turned off and without local lighting, it would be challenging to use snipers against it. An employee from the Northwest company was authorized to take Cooper's orders to the plane. As soon as they were delivered, the crazy hijacker decided to release the passengers and also part of the crew. Then, he showed the team his flight plan and its rules. Cooper wanted the plane to leave for Mexico City at a speed of 190 km, with landing gear lowered, at 3,000 meters high, flaps lowered to 15º, and the passenger cabin depressurized. After being informed that this direct flight would be impossible and a refueling stop would be necessary, the scoundrel still quickly met with the crew to decide that a stop in Reno would be made in the State of Nevada. One last request: the Boeing 727 plane would have to fly with the rear door open and the ladder extended. Northwest people said it was impossible to fly like that, but Cooper insisted on saying that it was possible and safe within the conditions he had asked for the plane to fly. He agreed to download it himself during the flight if necessary.

So the plane took off with Cooper and four other crew members. They are secretly accompanied by two F-106 fighters from the American Air Force throughout the journey. With the order given for everyone in the crew to remain in the pilot's cabin, the flight continued for 25 minutes until a light signal in the cabin showed that the rear door was being opened. The crew was still lovely and asked the plane's communicator if he needed help. Cooper just said no. Minutes later, a sudden sudden movement of the plane's tail indicated that the hijacker had possibly lowered the stairs. The pilots then maneuvered the aircraft to ensure safety, and with no signs of Cooper's response, they decided to land (still with the ladder down) in Reno. Police and FBI agents soon surrounded the aircraft and searched for the individual, but he was no longer on the plane. Neither do the parachutes and the money. He would have jumped.

Since then, there has been much speculation about the fate of the kidnapper. A series of interrogations, several suspects, and nothing so far. His original name was never discovered, and some "Dan Coopers" were interrogated. Still, linking any of these suspects to the hijacker with such specific knowledge about planes was impossible. Not even the more than 60 fingerprints taken on the aircraft could shed light on the mystery of Flight 305.

The location of his jump, over the mountains of Washington State, and the flight conditions raise doubts as to whether he could survive. A vital clue came in 1980 when a boy found in Columbia River a decomposing package complete with dollar bills that were part of the series given to the kidnapper, as well as part of a parachute. He would have jumped at approximately -40ºC and landed in an icy region (it was winter) full of snow, with just a suit and moccasins. Since then, dozens of people have emerged claiming to be relatives of the subject, giving clues after clues, all without proof. The FBI decided to close this case without a conclusion in 2016. This is the only unanswered plane hijacking case to date.

“It was precisely because of this "episode" that Boeing developed a Service Bulletin regarding installing a device that prevented the 727s' tail stairs from opening from the inside when in flight, which became a standard item on the 727s. Manufactured after this incident.”

“The anti-hijacking lock... a "trail" that closed the rear door from the outside through the aerodynamic action of a small airfoil connected to it, which, with the airflow, ovexrcame the spring that kept it out of alignment, making it possible to open the door. “,

“Today, we use a device on airplane doors called "Flight Lock" to prevent them from opening in flight. In honor of this event, the nickname for this device is "D.B. Cooper.”

“It even became a regulation after this incident.”