New York Times clipping: 'Weather Hampers Search For Parachuting Hijacker' by Douglas E. Kneeland

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Weather Hampers Search For Parachuting Hijacker

By DOUGLAS E. KNEELAND Special to The New York Times

WOODLAND, Wash., Nov. 26 — F.B.I. agents and sheriff's deputies, plagued by low clouds and fog that hindered both helicopter and ground efforts, searched the woods and farmlands near here today for the hijacker they believe parachuted into the area from a Northwest Airlines 727 with $200,000 in ransom money. "We're either looking for a parachute, or a hole in the ground," said Under Sheriff Tom McDowell of Clark County. "He's probably long gone," said another deputy, one of about 30 from Clark and adjacent Cowlitz County who, with a half-dozen agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are conducting the hunt for the

plane landed. He also showed her a suitcase containing red cylinders connected with wires that he said was a bomb. At Seattle, the money was obtained in $20 bills from a number of local banks. The man, who had also demanded parachutes, was provided with four of them. He then allowed the 36 other passengers and two stewardesses to leave the plane.

Destination Mexico

He told the pilot to fly to Mexico City at no more than 10,000 feet at a low speed. He then locked up the other crew members and remained alone in the subzero temperatures of the cabin with the rear doo[r]

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are conducting the hunt for the olive-complexioned, middle- aged hijacker in a 10-by-15-mile stretch of rough, fir-covered country just south of the Lewis River in the Cascade foothills. At the City Hall in Wood- land, a river town of about 1,300, where search headquar- ters have been established under the direction of Tom Man- ning, an F.B.I. agent, officials said that poor visibility had led the Army to withdraw its helicopters from the hunt. Other Copters Used However, other helicopters provided by Weyerhaeuser, the mammoth lumber company, and the Bonneville Power Ad- ministration, were still making intermittent passes over the area. The search was halted at nightfall until tomorrow. The hunted man has been identified by the F.B.I. only as D.B. Cooper, the name he used Wednesday afternoon when he bought a ticket in Portland, 20 miles south of here, and boarded a Northwest plane to Seattle. On the way to Seattle, the hijacker, who was described as being about 6 feet tall, weighing 170 pounds and wear-

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the cabin with the rear door open and steps down. Although earlier reports had said that the hijacker ordered William Scott, the pilot, to fly south over Washington and Oregon, rather than over the rugged Cascade Mountains, a Northwest spokesman in St. Paul, denied that today. Walter Helmer, the North- west official, said that Mr. Scott had told him he chose the route without consulting the hijacker. He also quoted the pilot as having said that when he landed the plane in Reno, Nev., for refueling, he thought the hijacker was still on board. Instead, the man, the money, two of the parachutes and the suitcase containing the red cylinders were missing. The F.B.I. said that the search was being concentrated in this area on the basis of information provided by the crew. Officials said that the crew's last communication with the hi- jacker came a little after 8 P.M. Wednesday when the jet would have been near Ariel, southwest of Woodland. If the man bailed out then, the authorities said, the aircraft

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[partial column, right edge cut off]

THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN WO[RSE] Point Pleasant Beach (N.J.) Rescu[e]

ing and there were southwest winds of 25 to 45 knots. At search headquarters here officials said that a computer at Fort Lewis, Wash., had been fed this information and had predicted a likely area of the hunt. Meanwhile, Sheriff Gene [Cor-] ton of Clark County said that [earlier?] several [earlier] reports that a man fitting the hijacker's de- scription had been sighted in the area had all proved false. In Portland, The Oregon Jour- nal reported that the F.B.I. was seeking a former south[west] Washington sky diver for ques-

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led the Army to withdraw its helicopters from the hunt.

Other Copters Used

However, other helicopters provided by Weyerhaeuser, the mammoth lumber company, and the Bonneville Power Ad- ministration, were still making intermittent passes over the area. The search was halted at nightfall until tomorrow.

The hunted man has been identified by the F.B.I. only as D. B. Cooper, the name he used Wednesday afternoon when he bought a ticket in Portland, 20 miles south of here, and boarded a Northwest plane to Seattle.

On the way to Seattle, the hijacker, who was described as being about 6 feet tall, weighing 170 pounds and wear- ing a dark suit, dark gray coat and dark glasses, handed a stewardess a note demand- ing $200,000 ransom when the

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[illegible first line] had told him he [illegible] the route without consulting the hijacker. He also quoted the pilot as having said that when he landed the plane in Reno, Nev., for refueling, he thought the hijacker was still on board. Instead, the man, the money, two of the parachutes and the suitcase containing the red cylinders were missing.

The F.B.I. said that the search was being concentrated in this area on the basis of information provided by the crew.

Officials said that the crew's last communication with the hi- jacker came a little after 8 P.M. Wednesday when the jet would have been near Ariel, southwest of Woodland.

If the man bailed out then, the authorities said, the aircraft was at about 7,000 feet and fly- ing at a speed of about 200 miles an hour. At that alti- tude, temperatures were freez-

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ing and there were southwest winds of 25 to 45 knots.

At search headquarters here, officials said that a computer at Fort Lewis, Wash., had been fed this information and had predicted a likely area of the hunt.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Gene Cot- ton of Clark County said that several earlier reports that a man fitting the hijacker's de- scription had been sighted in the area had all proved false[.]

In Portland, The Oregon Jour- nal reported that the F.B.I. was seeking a former southwest Washington sky diver for ques- tioning in the case. An F.B.I. spokesman declined to confirm or deny the report.

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THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN WO[RSE] Point Pleasant Beach (N.J.) Rescu[e]

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Weather Reports and Forecast

Summary

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