Part 53, page 177

Transcript

The scan is the source; the transcript is machine-generated from it.

Tom McDowell, Clark County undersheriff, said: "We're either looking for a parachute or a hole in the ground." Clark County Sheriff Eu- gene Cotton said the hijacker is thought to have parachut- ed from the jetliner at 8:13 p. m. Wednesday as the plane was flying low and slow. The plane was over View, near Woodland, at that time. Planes and helicopters criss-crossed the area most of yesterday before weather conditions cut visibility.

THE HIJACKER, about 6 feet tall, 175 pounds with black hair and olive com- plexion, used the name D. B. Cooper when he boarded the plane. Officials say he obviously was familiar with aircraft operation and parachuting. It was the first time an aircraft hijacker used a

parachute, and it was the largest sum of money with which one has escaped in the United States. Today's search in Clark County was ground and air.

THE SEARCH is being co- ordinated out of Woodland City Hall. About 25 sheriff's deputies and F. B. I. agents were interviewing residents in the area. Two reports that a parachutist was seen

Wednesday night proved false, McDowell, the under- sheriff, said. McDowell said three heli- copters were used for about an hour but fog cut visibility so badly they were ground- ed. Residents were being in- terviewed in small Clark County towns such as View, Crawford, Heisson, Yacolt, Ariel — all east of Woodland, and Interstate 5.

McDowell said the search [guess: is] concentrated in an area of about 20 square miles. He said because it was Thanksgiving, giving Eve roads in the area

were more heavily traveled than normal. McDowell said: "If there was a night that someone was going to see something around there, that was as good a night as any."

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DB Cooper-22515