Of NWA representative re Flight 305 operation, with landing-zone analysis and Figure 1 chart

FD-302 (REV. 3-17-69)

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Date December 15, 1971

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[REDACTED] Northwest Airlines, Inc., advised that after reviewing his notes and technical records concerning the operation of Northwest Airlines Flight 305 on November 24, 1971, he had drawn the following conclusions concerning the possible vicinity where the hijacker bailed out of the air- craft and the possible area in which he landed. [REDACTED] furnished a map with an overlay of the hijacker's landing area.

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[map/overlay image — no legible text]

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On 12/4/71 at Minneapolis, Minnesota File # MP 164-73

by SA RAY W. GAMMON:bab Date dictated 12/9/71 :259

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-553

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SERIALIZED [illegible] FILED [illegible] 12/9/71 FBI - SEATTLE

1. Line G-I-K-M represents the airplane's flight path as it approached the Portland (PDX) VOR.

2. The cabin pressure "bump" occurred at 0410 GMT, the time being re- corded by the NWA Flight Operations Office (MWAFO) in Minneapolis. It is a virtual certainty that the pressure "bump" marks the time that the high-jacker (HJ) left the airplane. The airplane was at Point A at that time, thus the HJ's body would land at Point A if his 'chutes did not open (unlikely).

3. If it is assumed that the HJ was a highly expert parachutist, and would thus free-fall as far as practicable to insure the best accur- acy of his touchdown point, he would land slightly to the NE of Point A due to his drifting with the wind from the point of 'chute opening.

4. If the HJ opened his 'chute as soon as he left the airplane, he would drift along the line A-B and would touch down at B. All lines parallel to A-B are lines along which the HJ would drift if he opened his 'chute relatively early.

5. The parallelogram indicated by C-D-F-E represents the boundaries of the probable touchdown area adjusted for possible time errors and for the above described wind drift. It is probably the most fruitful search area.

6. The earliest the HJ could have jumped is 0406, and this point is represented by Point G.

7. The crew believes the pressure "bump" occurred at 0410, but in any event are certain it occurred before 0415. If the HJ jumped at 0405 (unlikely) he would land on or near line G-H. If he jumped at 0415 he would land on or near line MN.

8. Based on the above explanation of Figure 1, and on all the assump- tions based in its preparation, the following are pertinent:

a. The most likely landing point for the HJ is at, or slightly NE of Point A.

b. His landing point is more likely to be in area C-D-F-E than any other.

c. It is possible his landing point could be anywhere within the area shown (G-H-N-M), but the probability goes down as the ends of this area are approached.

Figure 1 Nautical Miles Statute Miles [scale bar with markings 0, 5, 10, 15, 20]

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12/4/71 PORTL[A]

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[Aeronautical sectional chart] 123° LONGVIEW W 4500 MSL 2509 KDAM 121 6500 MSL 8500 MSL 30' (Joins Seattle) 4128 Swift Res 1008 COUGAR 3926 Kalama Springs St Helens 2714 RIDGEFIELD Woodland Ridgefield 1772 Yacolt 3910 2206 Battle Ground COLUMBIA CO 3 L 40 I Scappoose 1700 122.2 VORIAC PORTLAND N 5.5 Ch 113 PDX [guess: 117] FSS PORTLAND INTL RWS 119.0 33L 0 26 L 88 IL [guess: Ch R LS] IL 1187 257.1 / 122.18 SAUVIES ISLAND 21S SVY No voice Vancouver PEARSON 3 L 30 D EVERGREEN T 804 10 - 26 F ARSON 420 - 74 Camas Washougal 1170S 760 HILLSBORO POEHLER 255 - 13 SWAN ISLAND TLAM INGO 636 2045 Hillsboro 1589 PORTLAND A.T SCOT 1436 IROHS 797 L 19 636 PORTLAND- TROUTDALE 25 L 46 1203 - [guess: 254.3] 122.5R 1129 Boring STARKS 210 - 26 Aloha OSWEGO Tigard MEYER [guess: 155] - 26 Laurelwood See NOT / LAND RCE AL INS 1623 FARMI[NGTON] 048 Sherwood Tualatin 1442 WITHYCOMBE AAF/ARNG [guess: 120].15 Oregon City Redland SKYHILL (Pvt) 722 Vista Willamette Wilsonville 1247 0856 GLADSTONE Golf course OREGON CITY 385 L 5 U RETZ 480 28 HIGHLAND 805 - 20 1594 Newberg Dundee Willamette R SPORTSMAN 174 L 76 AURORA 195 L 41 Mulino MULINO [guess: 250] L 21 Hubbard LENHARDT 165 - 72 261 Eagle Creek Sandy EAGLE NEST (Pvt) 253 - 25 PARK [guess: LUSAB] R [guess: 492] - 14 RICH 580 - 24 U McKi[guess: nnon] [guess: 1040 - 36] [guess: 4056] 2137 Magnetic disturbance of [guess: 3] as as [guess: 5°] existing ground level [guess: bet-] [guess: rial] Veil and [guess: Troutdale] Squier NI 4775 4219 (DB Cooper 55)