Summary report: airports, flying clubs, flight schools, parachute and skydiving clubs

1 SE.164-81. CRS:md

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AIRPORTS, FLYING CLUBS, FLIGHT SCHOOLS, PARACUTE AND SKYDIVING CLUBS

On the possibility that subject might have rented an airplane and flown over the area of Southwest Washington or might have chartered a plane for the same purpose, the following investigation was conducted in the State of Washington but failed to identify the subject:

An artist's conception and composite description of subject was exhibited to owners and operators of each flying school, each airfield and airport, each company renting or chartering aircraft, and each skydiving school and club.

Similar inquiry has been conducted at the Portland International Airport and at airports at Aurora and Donald, Oregon in Marion County, Oregon, and is being conducted through- out the remaining portion of the State of Oregon.

All skydiving clubs, parachute clubs and affiliated or related organizations have been and/or are being contacted nationally and subject's composite description and artist's conception is being displayed among the various memberships in an effort to identify subject.

A list of all affiliated clubs of the U. S. Parachute Association for the entire United States as well as an index of the members of the affiliated clubs for the states of California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho and Arizona have been obtained. This will insure control over this facet of the investigation.

An international skydiving meet was held December 4, 1971 at Abbottsford, B.C., Canada.

Parachutists from the Western United States and Canada participated. Wide distribution of the artist's conception and composite description of subject was made among the participants without effecting any positive ident- ification.

The artist's conception of subject and the following article will be published in the January, 1972 issue of "Parachutists", the monthly bulletin, of the U. S. Parachute

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DB Cooper-5933

2 SE 164-81 CRS:md

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Association, with headquarters at Monterey, California, and the membership is estimated at between 10,000 and 40,000 members depending on activity.

"Enclosed is an artist's conception of the hijacker who extorted two hundred thousand dollars from Northwest Airlines on November 24, 1971. This man is described as follows:

"Race-white; sex-male; age mid-forties; height- five feet ten inches to six feet; weight-170 to 180 pounds; build-average to well built; complexion olive, latin appear- ance, medium smooth; hair-dark brown or black; normal style, parted on left, combed back; sideburns, low ear level; eyes-possibly brown. During latter part of flight put on dark, wrap around sunglasses with dark rims. Voice low, spoke intelligently, no particular accent, possibly from Midwest section of the United States. Characteristic-heavy smoker of Raleigh filter tip cigarettes. Wearing[guess: :] [illegible] apparel= black suit; white shirt, narrow black tie; black dress suit; black rain-type overcoat or dark top coat; dark briefcase or attache case; carried paper bag four inches by twelve inches by fourteen inches; brown shoes.

"If you have any information which might lead to the identity of this individual, please contact the nearest FBI Office."

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The same article will also appear in the January, 1972 issue of "Skydivers", monthly publication subscribed to by many parachute enthusiasts.

Efforts are being made to include the same article in "Pilot Bulletin", official monthly publication of the Airline Pilots Association, Washington, D.C.

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A major jump center on the West Coast has been identified as the Elsinore Paricenter, Inc., Elsinore, Calif- ornia. Each person making a first jump at this location, regardless of prior experience, must fill out a registra- tion form bearing identifying information.

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On December 3, 1971, Special Agents EDWARD A. ROMANOFF and [REDACTED] reviewed approximately 12,000 registration

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b6 b7C

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DB Cooper-5934

3 SE 164-81 CRS:md

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cards of parachutists who have jumped from the Elsinore Paricenter, Inc. 433 registration cards were photographed representing those jumpers who registered at the Elsinore Paricenter, Inc., since 1969 and fit within the physical description limits of 35-55 years of age, 150-190 pounds, and five feet eight inches to six feet one inch in height.

A systematic review of these cards is being conducted to possibly identify subject.

Registration cards prior to 1969 do not contain height data. Such cards, numbering approximately 18,000, date back to 1957.

On December 10, 1971, flight records for the month of August, 1971 were photographed at the Elsinore Paricenter, Inc. These records contained the last names of the jumpers, the altitude from which they jumped, and the name of the pilot and date.

A review of these flight records December 14-15, 1971 revealed the last names on these records match 31 individuals whose descriptions match those of subject and who jumped from the Elsinore Paricenter during the month of August, 1971. Sixteen of the individuals whose cards were photographed were eliminated as possible suspects by interviews. The remaining 15 possible suspects are being systematically reviewed in an effort to identify the subject.

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DB Cooper-5935