The Mystery of D.B. Cooper by Umar Malek

 The Mystery of D.B. Cooper 

The man who claimed the name D. B. Cooper showed a calm and polite demeanor while wearing a business suit. He gave a flight attendant a note that stated that he possessed a bomb that he kept inside his briefcase. He demanded $200,000 and four parachutes. The authorities took his threat seriously. The plane had landed in Seattle, and all the passengers were released, and Cooper got his money and parachutes. 

The case developed into a major unsolved mystery case, which became one of the most famous mystery cases throughout American history. The pilots received new instructions from Cooper to fly the plane at low altitudes while heading toward Mexico with open rear stairs. He jumped out of the plane and parachuted into the dark, rainy night, which covered the Pacific Northwest forests. He disappeared without leaving any trace of his existence. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) initially investigated the case, which later became known as NORJAK (Northwest Hijacking). Agents searched the suspected landing area, interviewed witnesses, and examined physical evidence that had been left behind on the plane, including Cooper’s black tie and tie clip. His true identity was not confirmed despite decades of work and thousands of leads. A young boy discovered almost $6000 of the stolen money, which had been hidden near the Columbia River in Washington State in 1980. The serial numbers matched the ransom bill, which showed that some of the money had been found there. No other definite proof of the case ever appeared. 

Over time, various theories have emerged. Cooper died during his jump because of bad weather and difficult ground conditions, and his total ignorance of skydiving made everything impossible for him to handle. Others believe he possessed advanced skills, which he utilized to devise a well-planned escape route. Many suspects have been named, but none have been confirmed to be Cooper. In 2016, after 45 years of investigations, the FBI formally suspended active investigations into the case, although the mystery was left open should new evidence be revealed. 

The D.B. Cooper hijacking was unique because of its boldness, careful planning, and inhumanity. Nobody was harmed in the process, and the hijacker mysteriously vanished. Over half a century later, the question continues to be asked: Who was D.B. Cooper, and did he live to tell the tale? The case holds a special place as the only skyjacking adventure that was never solved in United States history. 

“D.B. Cooper Hijacking | Federal Bureau of Investigation.” Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2022, www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/db-cooper-hijacking.