FD-350 clipping: 'Time is on D.B. Cooper's side' by Bud May

FD-350 (Rev. 7-16-63)

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If alive, he'll be 'free' Nov. 24 Time is on D.B. Cooper's side

By Bud May Daily News Senior Staff Writer

If he's still alive, and there's some suspicion he's not, the mysterious skyjacker known as D.B. Cooper need stay hidden only 22 weeks longer to avoid prosecution under a federal law pertaining to air piracy.

It was on Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 24, 1971, that Cooper vanished with $200,000 ransom after para- chuting, apparently over the Lewis River area east of Woodland, from a jetliner he had hijacked with a bomb threat.

The statute of limitations on the widely publi- cized crime expires this coming Nov. 24, meaning he will not be subject to arrest and prosecution after that date.

It does not mean, however, that Cooper can feel free to surface and start spending the money. The Internal Revenue Service has determined he owes the government back taxes totaling more than $218,000 on his plunder, including interest and penalties. A Longview FBI agent, however, feels the IRS will never collect—he believes Cooper plunged into Lake Merwin and drowned.

Regardless of what happens, Cooper remains the most celebrated, if that's the proper word, of American air pirates.

On the date, a man calling himself Dan Cooper (it somehow became D.B. Cooper in news stories about the crime) bought a ticket in Portland for a flight to Seattle.

After boarding a Northwest Airlines jetliner, the man—described as calm, middle-aged and well-dressed, gave a stewardess a note shortly after takeoff.

The stewardess, Florence Schaffner, then 23, of Minneapolis, Minn., said later, "I thought he was trying to hustle me. I stuffed the note in my purse, and he motioned that I should read it."

The note, according to officials involved in the hijacking investigation, said the man had a bomb, and wanted to go to Mexico.

While the jet circled Seattle, the skyjacker also ordered that $200,000 cash and four parachutes be brought to the aircraft, demands to which North- west Airlines agreed.

Authorities said 36 passengers and two of the plane's three stewardesses were allowed to leave

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(Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) Page 5 The Daily News Longview, Washington

— — Sue B — — —

Date: 7/12/76 Edition: afternoon Author: BUD MAY Editor: TED M. NATT Title: NORJAK 164-81-[guess: 3ab]B Character: CAA-Hijacking or Classification: 164-81 Submitting Office: Seattle

☒ Being investigated

COPY SENT TO BUREAU SEARCHED.......... INDEXED.... SERIALIZED....... FILED......

JUL 23 1976 b6 b7C TTLE [illegible]

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the aircraft in Seattle. Before it took off, Cooper was supplied with the requested parachutes and 10,000 $20 bills. The packet of bills, amounting to $200,000, weighed over 24 pounds, and measured 8 by 6 by 27 inches.

Cooper demanded to go to Mexico City, but was told the plane did not have capability for such a flight. He then agreed to allow the plane to go to Reno, Nev., and instructed Capt. William Scott to fly at 10,000 feet at a speed of 200 m.p.h. with flaps extended 15 degrees.

About 20 minutes after takeoff, lights came on in the cockpit indicating that the rear stairs in the aircraft had been lowered. At about 8:10 p.m., the flight engineer noticed fluctuation in the cabin rate of pressure indicator (the only such fluctua- tion between Seattle and Reno.)

When the Boeing 727 jetliner landed in Reno, Cooper, along with the ransom money, was no longer aboard. One of the two parachutes remain- ing in the plane had been opened, and some of the salmon-colored shroud lines were missing, lead- ing to a conclusion that the hijacker had tied the money to his body, using the shroud lines.

Weather conditions at the time Cooper is be- lieved to have jumped consisted of a ceiling of about 2,500 feet, with some ground visible through scattered clouds from the height of the plane. Rain and wind from west to southwest ranged from 25 to 45 knots.

The FBI, assisted by area law enforcement agencies and military personnel, conducted a massive search in the Lewis River area for days after the hijacking, but found no trace of Cooper or his loot.

Search efforts were suspended when winter arrived, but a large-scale hunt was resumed in March of 1972. This time the FBI was aided by 200 troops from the 3rd Armored Cavalry at Fort Lewis.

A grid type, inch by inch search on the ground was supplemented by helicopter crews, but again authorities came up empty handed.

There have been numerous theories concerning Cooper's fate. Some people, equating him to a modern day Robin Hood, expressed the hope that he survived, and would get away with his caper.

Law enforcement officers and many citizens took offense to that suggestion, pointing out that a thief is still a thief, regardless of the circum- stances, and should be held fully accountable for his crime or crimes.

There are those who doubt Cooper survived his jump from the jetliner.

Included in that group is resident FBI Agent Tom Manning of Longview, who was involved in investigation of the case from the beginning, and was a coordinator for the searches.

Manning says he feels the hijacker's chances for survival are remote. "It is my theory that Cooper landed in Lake Merwin, and is hung up on a snag," Manning said. Due to nylon chute and shroud lines, no deterioration of material has taken place to allow the body or money to sur- face, the agent believes.

FBI investigation is continuing, and numerous suspects (names primarily furnished by interest- ed and concerned citizens) have been thoroughly checked out. Still, the identity of Dan (or D.B.) Cooper remains unknown.

Manning said serial numbers of all of the 10,000 $20 bills were circulated in a 34-page booklet to all financial institutions and businesses handling large sums of money, but none of the missing money has surfaced.

Manning is among those who see nothing heroic about Cooper's crime.

"Songs have been written about him, and he has achieved status in some quarters as a folk hero to the extent that T-shirts commemorating his deed have sold well in some Pacific North- west cities. The FBI does not feel he is the Robin Hood of the Northwest, but rather is an individual who committed a violation of a federal statute, Crime Aboard an Aircraft-Hijacking, and jeo- pardized the lives of passengers and crew mem- bers," Manning stated.

The FBI, aware that time is growing short with regard to the statute of limitations, is interested in any information, however slight it may be, regarding the hijacker or his whereabouts.

Anyone having information is asked to contact the nearest FBI office (Manning's number is 423- 3320). Identity of citizens offering information will remain confidential.

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