Interview of Earl J. Cossey, master parachute rigger, Seattle Sky Sports
This copy: Part 110 pp. 231–232Also filed at Part 11 pp. 53–54 (primary) · Part 64 pp. 202–203 · Part 71 pp. 383–384
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Interview of Earl J. Cossey, master parachute rigger, re parachutes given to hijacker
Interviewed 26 November 1971Dictated 29 November 1971Transcribed 29 November 1971
Another copy of this document is the primary, most legible copy: Part 11 pp. 53–54.
Copies may differ in what was redacted.
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Id: Cooper-Part-110:231-232
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-110:231-232 Document: FD-302 interview of Earl J. Cossey, master parachute rigger, re parachutes given to hijacker Id: Cooper-Part-110:231-232 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-110%3A231-232 What is wrong (title, date, type, which pages belong together, copies)? What does the scan show?
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FBI 164-81, Vault Part 110 pp. 231–232 (DB Cooper-523–524), FD-302 interview, interviewed 26 Nov 1971 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-110%3A231-232
FD-302 (REV. 11-27-70)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
1 Date of transcription 11/29/71
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EARL J. COSSEY, 349 North 101st, Seattle, telephone SU3-0475, appeared at the Seattle Office at which time he furnished the following information:
He is a master parachute rigger and jump instructor at Seattle Sky Sports, Issaquah, Washington, telephone EX2-3050.
In May, 1971, [REDACTED] Washington, [REDACTED] needed two parachutes. COSSEY packed two parachutes which were furnished to [REDACTED] on or about May [REDACTED] 1971. He described these parachutes as back packs, commonly referred to as "emergency" parachutes. He also packed the two chest pack parachutes which were furnished to Northwest Airlines on November 24, 1971.
The two parachutes recovered from the Northwest Airlines flight 305 at Reno, Nevada, on November 24, 1971, were described in detail to Mr. COSSEY at which time he described the missing back pack parachute as having a sage green nylon container, model NB6 (Navy Back pack 6) with sage green nylon harness, which harness has no "D" rings to mount a chest pack. The parachute is a 28 foot nylon white flat circular with a specially fitted foam padded cushion. The pilot chute is also white.
Mr. COSSEY said that the missing chest pack para- chute is a ground training pack dummied up to look like a good one. He said that by "dummied up" he means that tie downs were attached to the container. This chest pack was devised by COSSEY to teach trainees while hung in a harness how to open the chest pack in the event of an emergency. The folds of the parachute are sewen together to preclude the parachute opening in the training room. Mr. COSSEY said that the back packs furnished the hijacker did not have the necessary hooks on the harness to attach a chest pack.
Mr. COSSEY said that if the hijacker opened one of the chest packs on the airplane he probably would remove the parachute and put the money in the chest pack
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Interviewed on 11/26/71 at Seattle, Washington File # SE 164-81
by SA [REDACTED] & SA CHARLES J. HENRY/CJH:set Date dictated 11/29/71
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This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
DB Cooper-523
2 SE 164-81
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as it would be impossible to hold anything in his hand when the parachute opened. Mr. COSSEY said it would be quite possible to parachute from a 727 jet if the jet was below 10,000 feet and flying at a very slow rate of speed. The person jumping from the plane would have to free fall to earth for several thousand feet to slow himself down and get himself in position for the back pack to open. Even an experienced parachutist would experience considerable shock from the chute opening, however, this would cause little or no personal injury. He said that anyone who had six or seven practice jumps could accomplish this as the first five jumps would be on a static line and the subsequent jumps would be free fall.
He said that jumping at night materially increases the chance of injury and in this case he would consider the parachutists chances of not being injured as "nill." Mr. COSSEY said the back pack used by the hijacker is non-steerable and he would have no chance of slowing down or picking the spot on which to land. Also at night he would be unable to gauge his distance to the ground which would result in a much harder impact. It was his opinion the skyjacker would suffer severe ankle and or leg injuries from this jump.
Mr. COSSEY said that the fact the hijacker wore street shoes would also increase the chance that he would be injured on landing as the most experienced jumpers wear jump boots or some rigid ankle support.
Mr. COSSEY expressed the opinion that the pilot of the jet would notice some oscillation when the hijacker departed the rear of the aircraft.
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DB Cooper-524
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Serials: SE 164-81