Letter Acting Director, FBI to SACs Seattle and Portland summarizing NORJAK facts and investigative instructions

SAC, Seattle (164-81) June 27, 1972

Acting Director, FBI (164-2111)

NORJAK

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This case has been reviewed at the Bureau and the following observations are being made in an effort to assist your office in your investigative endeavors.

The unsub, as Dan Cooper, at 2 p.m., PST, 11/24/71, purchased a one-way coach ticket at the Portland National 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 18E on the aircraft and prior to the time the aircraft taxied on the runway, he purchased a bourbon and 7-up with a twenty dollar bill from Stewardess [REDACTED]. The aircraft left Portland at 2:53 p.m., PST, however, after it taxied toward the runway for takeoff, unsub turned and handed Stewardess [REDACTED] an envelope containing a note written in black felt-tip pen and which was on plain white unlined paper and written in neat, legible handwriting. This note informed Stewardess [REDACTED] that he had a bomb and instructed her to sit next to him.

Unsub then dictated to her his demands at the conclusion of which he remarked, "No fuss." Stewardess [REDACTED] showed Stewardess [REDACTED] the demand notes and then went to the cockpit where she displayed them to the captain of the aircraft. The unsub retrieved these notes prior to the time the aircraft landed at Seattle, Washington. She thereafter remained in the cockpit where she prepared thirteen pages of notes concerning the hijacking and in which she described unsub as in his fifties. She later said he appeared to be of Latin descent. It will be noted that one

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2 - Portland (164-51)

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164-81 - 3634 SEARCHED [INDEXED] SERIALIZED [FILED] JUN [guess: 29] 1972 FBI—SEATTLE

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DB Cooper-32164

Letter to SACs, Seattle, Portland Re: NORJAK

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of the aircraft passengers, [REDACTED], believed unsub was a Mexican-American. She had a short encounter with the unsub prior to her deplaning at Seattle, at which time she said unsub did not appear to know exactly where he wanted to go after he left Seattle, but spoke of Mexico City, Phoenix, and San Francisco. Stewardess [REDACTED] then acted as a communications media between the unsub and the captain of the aircraft until about five minutes after the aircraft departed the Seattle-Tacoma National Airport (Sea-Tac) when she was instructed to go to the cockpit by the unsub.

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The aircraft landed at Sea-Tac at 5:46 p.m., PST, at which time $200,000 in twenty dollar bills, weighing 19 pounds, two back chutes, and two chest chutes were made available to him. The passengers then were allowed to deplane as were Stewardess [REDACTED] and another stewardess. This is normally a thirty-six minute flight.

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Shortly prior to the aircraft taking off from Sea-Tac at 7:36 p.m., PST, the unsub informed Stewardess [REDACTED] that they were going to Mexico City or someplace in Mexico and that the aircraft could stop anywhere in Mexico to refuel, but nowhere in the United States. When unsub was informed that the fuel would not permit the aircraft going to Mexico, unsub compromised and said he would prefer a refueling landing in Reno, Nevada. The last communication had with the unsub was by interphone at 8:05 p.m., PST, and it was felt that the unsub deplaned from the aircraft at 8:12 p.m. The aircraft landed at Reno, Nevada, at 11:05 p.m., PST, An extensive ground search of the area where it was believed the unsub exited the aircraft has proved negative.

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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 back chute is a training pack "dummied up" to look like a good one. The missing back pack chute, sometimes referred to as an emergency 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 18E of the aircraft at Reno, Nevada, 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

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DB Cooper-32165

Letter to SACs, Seattle, Portland Re: NORJAK

name "Towncraft" and bore store #3 Penneys. The label in this tie showed it to be a "Snapper" patent type tie. Investi- gation at Las Vegas indicated that this type sold for about a dollar and a half, 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.

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."

During the period Stewardess [REDACTED] was with the unsub and in her conversations with him she related what appeared to be keen observations concerning him, and which are as follows:

1) He impressed her as being an executive because of his dress, special mannerisms, and consideration that he exhibited for her while on the aircraft.

2) In one of the conversations she had with him, she re- marked that the parachutes were coming from McChord Air Force Base at which time he remarked that it was only about twenty minutes from McChord to the Seattle-Tacoma airport and which was apparently an accurate estimate.

3) While the aircraft was in a holding pattern and prior to its landing at Sea-Tac, the unsub looked out of the window and remarked, "We are over Tacoma now," although no mention of this had been made over the interphone of the aircraft.

4) He displayed an extensive and technical knowledge of this aircraft and seemed particularly well informed as to the refueling procedures and flying in general. He apparently was aware of where the oxygen bottles were and Stewardess [REDACTED] felt this information was normally known only by the crew personnel. The only function of the aircraft that he did not appear to be fully aware of was the procedures involved in the opening of the rear door and the extending of the stairway. He likewise appeared to be completely familiar with the parachutes that had been furnished to him.

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DB Cooper-32166

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b6 b7C

Letter to SACs, Seattle, Portland Re: NORJAK

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5) She said that the unsub was a chain smoker using Raleigh filter tip cigarettes. She observed him using a book of matches, the cover of which was blue and bore the name "Sky Chef."

6) Stewardess [REDACTED] asked him why he had chosen a North- west airplane to hijack to which he replied that he had a grudge but not against Northwest Airlines, but that Northwest happened to be at the right place at the right time.

7) He used the expression "No fuss" on one occasion to Stewardess [REDACTED] and "No funny stuff" on one occasion to Stewardess [REDACTED]

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You should place strong emphasis on the fact that the unsub could be possibly a former employee of one of the West Coast aircraft or related industries, particularly Boeing aircraft. These industries have been hard pressed economically, causing a number of lay-offs among professional personnel as well as nonprofessional personnel and from a review of the material available at the Bureau, it is entirely conceivable that the unsub falls in this category. In view of this, the following avenues of investigation should be investigated by both the Seattle and Portland Offices:

1) Contact professional placement agencies, counselors as well as employment contractors hiring temporary professional employees.

2) Contact unemployment agencies.

3) Identify and contact professional societies or organizations associated with the aircraft industry, being alert for anyone that possibly terminated membership or activity after 11/24/71.

4) The age bracket of the unknown subject could probably make him a Veteran of World War II, or the Korean conflict and in this regard, you should contact Veteran groups and the American Legion.

5) Seattle should submit to the FBI Laboratory the black clip-on tie and clasp found on the aircraft at Reno, Nevada, and request the FBI Laboratory to examine this material for soil and dust particles in an effort to possibly pinpoint the area of the country from which the unsub came from.

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DB Cooper-32167