Seattle summary report re NORJAK hijacking of Northwest Airlines Flight 305, with table of contents, search maps and NWA landing-zone analysis
This copy: Part 60 pp. 296–308Also filed at Part 95 pp. 260–278 (primary) · Part 41 pp. 21–38
This copy’s own title
Seattle NORJAK report: synopsis, table of contents, THE HIJACK narrative, and Northwest Orient airline logs
Document date 30 May 1973
Another copy of this document is the primary, most legible copy: Part 95 pp. 260–278.
Copies may differ in what was redacted.
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Id: Cooper-Part-60:296-308
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-60:296-308 Document: Seattle NORJAK report: synopsis, table of contents, THE HIJACK narrative, and Northwest Orient airline logs Id: Cooper-Part-60:296-308 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-60%3A296-308 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 60 pp. 296–308 (DB Cooper-24981–24993), Report, dated 30 May 1973 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-60%3A296-308
FD-701 (Rev. 3-3-59)
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Copy to:
Report of: [REDACTED] Office: Seattle, Washington b6 Date: [REDACTED] b7C
Field Office File #: 164-81 Bureau File #: 164-2111
Title: UNKNOWN SUBJECT; NORTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT #350, PORTLAND, OREGON, TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON NOVEMBER 24, 1971
Character: CRIME ABOARD AIRCRAFT - HIJACKING; EXTORTION
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Synopsis: On November 24, 1971, a white male skyjacked a North- west Airlines Flight from Portland to Seattle. The hijacker demanded and received $200,000 and four para- chutes upon landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. After receiving the ransom money, the hijacker allowed the passengers to leave. The plane then took off for Reno and at 8:11 p.m. a pressure oscillation was noted by the plane's crew. That pressure oscillation was probably caused by the hijacker leaving the aircraft. Search of the aircraft at Reno revealed the hijacker was not in the plane when it landed. Extensive searches of the area into which the hijacker would have landed failed to locate the hijacker or any evidence of value. The initial black and white artist composite drawing of the hijacker was changed to a color sketch to more accurately reflect the hijacker's age and swarthy complexion.
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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.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages
THE HIJACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3- 8
LOGS AND RECORDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
SEARCH AREA (WITH MAPS). . . . . . . . . . . .14-25
FIRST TERRAIN SEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
HUNTERS SEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-28
SECOND TERRAIN SEARCH (WITH MAPS). . . . . . .28-31
CURRENT INVESTIGATION
Artist Sketch. . . . . . . . . . . . .33
FAA Records. . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Boeing File Review . . . . . . . . . .33
Raleigh Cigarettes . . . . . . . . . .35
First Skyjacking Utilizing Parachutes. . . . .40
SR 71 Flight . . . . . . . . . . . . .45-47
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THE HIJACK
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The Unsub, aka [REDACTED] at 2:00 PM, Pacific Standard Time, November 24, 1971, purchased a one-way coach ticket at the Portland International Airport, Portland, Oregon, for travel from Portland to Seattle, Washington, on Northwest Orient Airlines Flight Number 305, which was a Boeing 727 aircraft. Unsub paid for this flight with a twenty dollar bill and had no luggage. He occupied seat number 18 E on the aircraft.
The Boeing 727 has three seats on each side of the aisle. Row 18 is the last one on both the right and left side of the aisle. The seats are identified from left to right as you face the front of the aircraft with A,B,C on the left side of the aisle and D (aisle seat), E (center seat) and F (window seat) on the right side.
Almost flush against the back of row 18, except for some eight inches near the aisle, is a bulkhead which forms the wall for the lavatories, located behind row 18; one on the right and one on the left. Beyond the lavatory doors is the door leading to the air stairs.
The door to the air stairs is always closed and locked, except when loading or unloading passengers. It is located straight away at the end of the aisle beyond row 18 and is perhaps some 3½ feet from the last row and is in easy reach for someone sitting in row 18.
Built into the lower portion of the door to the air stairs is the stewardess seat which is pulled down when in use, so that a person sitting in that seat looks straight down the aisle toward the front of the aircraft. On take-off this seat was occupied by Stewardess [REDACTED]
Prior to the time the aircraft taxied on the run- way, he purchased a bourbon and Seven Up from Stewardess [REDACTED] As the aircraft taxied toward the runway for takeoff, Unsub turned and handed Stewardess [REDACTED] an envelope containing a note written in black felt-tip pen on plain white unlined paper which said:
"Miss, I have a bomb here and I would like you to sit by me".
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The hijacker then dictated the following:
"I want $200,000 by 5:00 p.m. in cash". (No specification as to denomination, age or sequence of bills). "Put it in a knapsack. I want two back parachutes and two front parachutes" (no other specification concerning para- chute types). "When we land I want a fuel truck ready to refuel" (probably his flying experience caused him to add this). "No funny stuff or I'll do the job" (the first attempted parachute skyjacking had been foiled about 12 days earlier by the hijacked aircraft's crew.)
The hijacker showed both Stewardesses the contents of his briefcase and stated it was an electrical device and requested the aircraft radio be used as little as possible.
The hijacker explained why he hijacked this plane by stating "it's not because I have a grudge against the airlines, it's because I have a grudge."
The hijacker then added that the flight suited his time, place and plans (probably the convenience of a Portland to Seattle flight suited the hijacker).
The hijacker very carefully demanded that each and every note either written by him or dictated to the stewardess by him be returned to him and he also had a used match cover which was used to convey notes returned to him.
Stewardess [REDACTED] showed Stewardess [REDACTED] the demand notes and then went to the cockpit where she displayed them to the captain of the aircraft. She thereafter remained in the cockpit where she prepared thirteen pages of notes concerning the hijacking.
The aircraft landed at Sea-Tac at 5:46 PM, PST, at which time $200,000. in twenty dollar bills, weighing 19 pounds, two back chutes and two chest chutes were given to him in a white canvas bag. The passengers then were allowed to deplane as were Stewardess [REDACTED] and another stewardess.
The hijacker went to the lavatory just behind row 18 (the row he which he was sitting) and as he exited the lavatory he was seen carrying the briefcase on its side in both arms, with a 12"x16"x4" light-colored package on top of the briefcase.
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Stewardess [REDACTED] then acted as a communica- tions media between the Unsub.and the captain of the air- craft until about five minutes after the aircraft departed the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when she was instruct- ed to go to the cockpit by the Unsub.
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The hijacker's instructions after receiving the money were vague. He probably wanted to jump from the aircraft as soon as possible after the takeoff. The hi- jacker put two of the parachutes, a back pack and a front pack, on prior to take off. He also wanted the air stairs lowered prior to takeoff, which subsequently proved to be impossible. Finally the hijacker jumped as soon as practi- cal after the stairs were lowered in flight. The hijacker was delayed from jumping by the trouble he experienced in lowering the air stairs and by the fact he was not provided a knapsack but rather a small white canvas bag which he had to affix to her person utilizing parachute shroud lines from an unused parachute.
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The plane departed Sea-Tac at 7:36 PM. Some four or five minutes after take-off, [REDACTED] was sent to the cockpit by the hijacker. Some ten minutes after she entered the cockpit, one of the officers received a call on the interphone from the hijacker, advising he could not get the air stairs down. The pilot then leveled off the aircraft and reduced the air speed. Within a very short time, the officer's panel showed that the stairs had been lowered and approximately five minutes later, (8:05 PM), the officer contacted the hijacker who said everything was okay. That was the last communication with the hijacker.
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At 8:11 PM, while the plane was at 10,000 feet, the crew experienced a pressure bump or oscillation and the Cabin Pressure Rate of Change Gauge also reacted violently and it was thought, at that time, that the hijacker might have left the aircraft.
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When the aircraft landed at Reno, Nevada, a chest pack chute and a back type chute were found on the plane. The missing chest pack chute, sometimes referred to as an emergency chute, is a training pack "dummied up" to look like a good one. The missing back pack chute is non-steerable and anyone utilizing this type chute would have no chance of slowing down or picking his spot on which to land.
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Also located in seat 18 E of the aircraft at Reno, was a black clip-on tie which contained a tie clasp described as yellow gold in color with a white pearl circular stone in the center. The label in the tie bore the name "Town- craft" and bore Store #3, Penneys. The label in this tie showed it to be a "Snapper" patent type tie. Investiga- tion in Las Vegas indicated that this type sold for about $1.50, that it was about a year to a year and a half old, and it was a favorite item for individuals such as waiters, busboys and bartenders. Stewardess [REDACTED] has said that this tie was probably the Unsub's and other witnesses have indicated that he wore a similar type tie.
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Located in the ashtray utilized by the Unsub were eight cigarette butts, seven of which have been identified by the FBI Laboratory as Raleigh filter tip cigarettes and the eighth cigarette is probably the same. These cigarettes are sold in a "soft pack".
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The two seats which she had observed to be oc- cupied by the unknown subject were processed for fingerprints. In addition the telephone, the area around the rear door, the rear door and four plastic drinking glasses found in the trash receptacle by the back door were also processed for fingerprints. In addition, a cloth towel affixed to the rear of one of the seats reportedly occupied by the unknown subject was removed and examined by Reno Agents. On that towel was noted what appeared to be a short human hair.
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The FBI Laboratory by communication dated Decem- ber 9, 1971, advised that an examination of the towel sub- mitted by the Las Vegas Office, disclosed a brown head hair clipping and a brown limb hair, both of Caucasian origin. The report continued that the head hair clipping is suitable for significant comparison results, but that the limb hair possesses to few unique microscopic characteristics to be of value for that purpose.
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The Laboratory also advised that the hairs obtain- ed from the towel have been mounted on a glass microscopic slide. They suggested that if microscopic comparisons between
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between the head hair clipping and a known head hair sample were desired, that the glass microscopic slide containing the hair clipping should be resubmitted to the Laboratory by the Las Vegas Office.
The contents of the ashtray, the towel and the microscopic slide were returned by the Laboratory to the Las Vegas Office and are being held by the Las Vegas Divi- sion as evidence.
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LOGS BY NORTHWEST ORIENT AIRLINES, SEATTLE AND MINNEAPOLIS
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It is apparent from the following excerpts, taken from logs maintained by ground personnel on November 24, , 1971, that the hijacker exited the airplane at 8:11 p.m. local time.
When the hijacker jumped, the air stairs were forced closed causing an increase in air pressure similar to shutting a car door with the windows up. As this pressure increase occurred the co-pilot turned to look at the cabin rate of climb meter and in doing so his communications ear plug was pulled from his ear.
The co-pilot's comments at this time were being recorded on a tape recorder which had previously been started on a time standard signal. Through careful play back and sequencing, the time of the pressure oscillation caused by the air stairs closing after Unsub departed was determined to be 8:11 p.m. local time.
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Teletype logs maintained by Ground Operations, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Time 8:12 p.m. PST "11/25 305 getting some osciltns in the cabin mus be doing something with air stairs"
Handwritten logs maintained by [REDACTED] at the Office of NWA Operations, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
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8:11 p.m. "Reno looks good (weather). 305 at the present cabin is fluctuating playing with air stairs fwd cabin lites on."
Handwritten logs maintained by [REDACTED] Flight Dispatcher NWA at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
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8:11 p.m. "Cabin fluctuating ZA"
Log maintained at Flight Operations Office, Minneapolis, by [REDACTED]
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8:10 p.m. "Crew reported oscillation of cabin rate of climb indicator. This probably due to HJ weight now on stairs, stairs extended further, resultant effect on cabin pressure. May be best estimate of when he exited air- plane."
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"(Airplane now at 10,000' 170K, gear down, flaps 15°, FF 4000 #/hr/engine, TAT -7°C)".
Log reconstructed from tape recordings of the conversations between Flight 305 and Ground Control.
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8:11 p.m. "O.K. fine uh, at the present time uh, uh! (co-pilot, who is speaking, turned to look at the cabin rate of climb meter because of an increase in cabin pressure and in doing so his ear plug was pulled from his ear). . . at the present time we're getting some uh, the uh, cabin uh rate uh. . . uh, scuse me, my ear plug came out and I uh, at the present time we're getting some oscillations in the cabin rate of climb indicator and uh, apparently he (unsub) must be uh attempting to do something with the uh, the airstairs back there."
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(There is a time correlation check on this tape and through careful play back and sequencing the time of oscillations caused by the airstairs closing after unsub departed was calculated at 8:11 p.m.).
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Ransom money in the amount of $200,000 was made up entirely of used, random 20 dollar bills. It was obtain- ed from the Seattle First National Bank, Main Office, and was part of a ransom package of $250,000, which had been maintained by the bank for such emergencies. The package measured approximately one foot by one foot by eight or nine inches and weighed 19 pounds.
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A check of the Federal Aviation Administration flight section at Portland International Airport reflected that on November 24, 1971 between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM, there was a ceiling of 5,000 feet, 3,500 feet broken clouds, and at 1,500 feet scattered and broken clouds at times with a wind of 12-14 knots. The temperature at the end of the air stairs at the time of the jump was approximately 00° C.
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On October 5, 1972, [REDACTED] Northwest Orient Airlines, Minneapolis-Saint Paul Interna- tional Airport, advised he authorized a finders fee of $25,000 total reward or 15% for any portion of the ransom money that is returned.
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In addition, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a local newspaper in Seattle, has offered $5,000 for informa- tion leading to the arrest and conviction of Unsub.
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