Interview of parachutist/pilot in Custer, Washington re Cooper hijack jump
Interviewed 4 April 1974Dictated 8 April 1974
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Id: Cooper-Part-34:170-171
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-34:170-171 Document: FD-302 interview of parachutist/pilot in Custer, Washington re Cooper hijack jump Id: Cooper-Part-34:170-171 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-34%3A170-171 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 34 pp. 170–171 (DB Cooper-12791–12792), FD-302 interview, interviewed 4 Apr 1974 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-34%3A170-171
FD-302 (REV. 11-27-70)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Date of transcription [handwritten: Sur Q] 4/12/74
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On April 4, 1974, [REDACTED b6/b7C] Custer, Washington, telephone [REDACTED b6/b7C] furnished the following information:
He definitely recalls the date the hijacker known as D.B. COOPER was involved in his caper with Northwest Air- lines. He first heard of this on radio messages that day and evening. He, at that time, lived in Lynden and operated [REDACTED b6/b7C] on the Lummi Indian Reservation near Marietta, Washington. He was in this area at the time working, and had no connection with this crime, or knowledge of it, and has never come up with any suspects in connection with his [REDACTED b6/b7C]. He was definitely at home and at work during the time of this skyjacking and he [REDACTED b6/b7C] visited with one of the other [REDACTED b6/b7C] on the following day, Thanksgiving, as they do each year.
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Shortly after this took place, just how long he cannot now recall, he was visited by some FBI Agents and interviewed as to his knowledge of any possible suspects. At that time he was exhibited an artist's photograph show- ing the individual wearing dark glasses.
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[REDACTED b6/b7C] is an experienced [REDACTED b6/b7C] [REDACTED b6/b7C]
He first started to jump [REDACTED b6/b7C] while he was in the Navy, and he later started to fly [REDACTED b6/b7C] while in the Air Force. However, he never jumped or flew in his assignments in the services, but learn to do these things on his own and at his own expense because of his interest in the sport.
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He was in the Navy from [REDACTED b6/b7C] Serial No. [REDACTED b6/b7C] and in the Air Force from [REDACTED b6/b7C] Serial No. [REDACTED b6/b7C] which is his Social Security No. also. The only times he has been fingerprinted were in connection with his enlistments in the military.
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Interviewed on 4/4/74 at Custer, Washington SE 164-81-[guess: 6]2/O File # by SA [REDACTED b6/b7C] /bjb[guess: 6] Date dictated 4/8/74
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-12791
SE 164-81
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He does not smoke cigarettes and has never smoked. He has visited in Portland in the past, but was not in Port- land at any time around the time of this hijacking. He has a high school education [REDACTED] that he has taken on his own, plus the education he received in the military services. He does not drink, and only occasionally takes a can a beer. He has no accent of any kind. He is presently 5'11", and weighs 152 lbs. He has taken off over 35 lbs. in the last two months on a crash diet, and intends to stay down thin. His hair is light brown in color and curly, and he has never dyed his hair. His eyes are blue and he has to wear glasses at all times in order to see properly.
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[REDACTED] advised this particular jump out the rearend of a 727 jet, under the circumstances, that he has learned as to how it happened would be "duck soup" for an experienced jumper. Anyone who has made over 100 parachute jumps would be considered an experienced jumper that would have no trouble with this type of jump. Further, from his knowledge of pilot- ing various planes for parachute jumpers, he feels there is no way that the pilot could feel physically any change in the plane when the jumper went out. A plane of that size and under those conditions would not physically or in any way that could be detected by a human being, change its status so the person leaving the plane could be detected.
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One of the basis he has for saying this is if he closes his eyes and plugs his ears while flying [REDACTED] [REDACTED] he cannot determine when one parachutist has actually left the plane. Of course if several leave at the same time, then he definitely can detect this.
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[REDACTED] expressed a desire to continue to cooperate in any way necessary, and if he should develop any infor- mation that might lead to any suspects, he will immediately advise.
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DB Cooper-12792
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b6 b7C
Serials: SE 164-81