Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "D. B. Cooper" in English language version.
'The night it happened, I thought he had a 50 percent chance,' he said. '... It has gone down since then.'
There are 36 passengers and a crew of 6[permanent dead link]
Tina said 'do you want me to stay here?' and the man replied, 'yes'.
One of the specific demands [Cooper] made was the fuel truck is to come first and start fueling the plane immediately. After fueling is completed and the money is aboard, he indicated the passengers would be released, and the last item to be brought aboard the aircraft would be the chutes, and at that time only the crew members were to be aboard, and they must stay out of the aisle and remain in their seats.
the hijacker insisted she be physically present by his side at all times. She recalled she sat with him almost the entire time of the flight.
She also recalled while they were in the holding pattern prior to landing, he at one time looked out the window and observed 'We're over Tacoma now' and '...she stated she recalled some conversation to the effect the parachutes were coming from McChord Air Force Base. The hijacker remarked that it was about 20 minutes from McChord to the Seattle-Tacoma Airport.'
He was not nervous. He seemed rather nice and he was not cruel or nasty.
She asked him why he picked Northwest Airlines to hijack and he laughed and said, 'It's not because I have a grudge against your airlines, it's just because I have a grudge.' He paused and said the flight suited his time, place, and plans.
He asked her where she was from and she told him that she was from Pennsylvania, but was living in Minneapolis, Minn. He indicated that Minneapolis, Minn., was very nice country.
Other conversation centered on personal habits such as smoking and he asked her if she did and she said she used to, but had quit, and he offered her a cigarette, which she took and smoked.
The cowboy was hassling Tina for information about the mechanical difficulties and generally being a nuisance. The hijacker seemed to enjoy the situation at first but told the cowboy to go back to his seat.
After he was seated and Tina returned to seat 18 D, next to the hijacker, he said, 'If that is a Sky Marshal I don't want any more of that,' and she reassured him that it wasn't and further, that there were no sky marshals on that flight.
Seattle First National Bank, Seattle, Washington, who provided the money paid on this case advises that the money in the bag weighed nineteen pounds and the contents measured eleven inches by twelve inches by six and one half inches
microfilm upon which was record[ed] the serial number[s] of all the bills...
The Flight landed at Seattle International Airport at 5:46 Pacific time.
Prior to landing, the captain wanted permission to park his aircraft away from the terminal and the hijacker said okay.
He requested an unmarked car and a representative of the airline would be allowed to approach the aircraft from a ten o'clock relative position. The only other equipment to go near the aircraft was to be the air stairs and refueling equipment.
the blonde stewardess, who had been sitting next to the hijacker, got up and went forward and out of the forward exit of the plane. He said she returned through the same door after several minutes carrying a package which was made of off-white canvas.
[she] departed the aircraft through the forward door as soon as the stairs were put in place.
[Mucklow] recalled that she, in an attempt at being humorous, stated to the hijacker while the passengers were unloading that there was obviously a lot of money in the bag and she wondered if she could have some. The hijacker immediately agreed with her suggestion and_took one package of the money, denominations unrecalled by and handed it to her. She returned the money, stating to the hijacker that she was not permitted to accept gratuities or words to that effect. In this connection recalled that at one time during the flight the hijacker had pulled some single bills from his pocket and had attempted to tip all the girls on the crew. Again they declined in compliance with company policy.
She also recalled that at this time all hostesses and male crew members were still aboard the aircraft.
[Florence] came back to where the hijacker was seated and asked if she could get her purse and he said that she should come on back, he wouldn't bite her.
At this point she gave him a paper sheet giving instructions on how to jump and he said he didn't need that.
He appeared irritated that they did not give him a knapsack.
he was occupied with one of the parachute packs ... and attempting to in some way attach it to his body.
Her recollections in this regard were vague.
It was finally agreed...that Mucklow would remain on board to lower the door and stairs after the aircraft was airborne.
She told him that she was fearful of being sucked out of the airplane.
The cockpit called and told her to use the escape rope to secure herself when they found out that she was going to lower the ladder once the aircraft is airborne. She related this to the hijacker and he said, 'no,' he didn't want her to go up front or them to come back.
She asked him to cut some nylon cord from the parachute for her to use as a safety line when she opened the rear ladder and the hijacker said, 'Nevermind,' that he would do it...
the hijacker suddenly told her to go forward of the aft compartment, to close the curtain behind her and not to return to the rear compartment again.
she pleaded with him to take the bomb with him and he said he would take it with him or disarm it before he leaves.
the last time she saw him he had a nylon cord tied around his waist and was standing in the isle.
Approximately four minutes after take off, he stood up, told her to go to the cockpit
Rataczak stated they had not yet reached Portland proper, but were definitely in the suburbs or the immediate vicinity thereof.
Before descending at Reno, Nev., she called repeatedly over the intercom system to the hijacker to cooperate, that the aircraft must land. The last message was, 'Sir, we are going to land now, please put up the stairs.'
Beale Air Force Base, California, had offered, free of charge to the Bureau, use of an SR-71 aircraft to photograph terrain over which the hijacked airplane had flown on its trip to Reno
photographic over-flights using SR-71 aircraft were conducted on five separate occasions with no photographs_obtained due to limited visibility from very high altitude.
The reaction was instantaneous and was described by REDACTED as being the same reaction that they had in the airplane when they believe that the hijacker jumped.
At about 11:30 pm, there was a burglary of a grocery store located roughly 10 miles south of the Dam. Survival rations were taken including beef jerky, cigarettes, gloves, etc.
Hijacker wore non-lace type shoes of ankle length.
On the seat numbered 18E a black clip-on tie was observed. This black tie contained a tie clasp, yellow gold in color. with a white pearl circular stone in the center.
the limb hair possesses too few unique microscopic characteristics to be of value...
The head hair clipping is suitable for significant comparison results.
The Laboratory is also requested to examine the ashtray contents and specifically process any Raleigh filter tip cigarette butts for possible fingerprint identification or comparison.
No latent prints of value developed contents of ashtray.
The DNA Unit was contacted and agreed to perform an unknown subject analysis on the numerous cigarette butts left by COOPER on the aircraft that day. They believed it likely that DNA could be recovered. Unfortunately, it was discovered that this evidence had been destroyed years earlier in Las Vegas.
Along with the two chestpack chutes from Sky Sports, located in Issaquah, the hijacker was provided with two backpack chutes by Norman Hayden, of Renton Aviation.
Cossey further stated that the parachutes supplied to UNSUB were of non-steerable variety and therefore, had no steering devices whatever.
They both were like military chutes in that they did not have sleeves.
One (1) orange or salmon-pink chest parachute. This chute was found on board the hijacked Northwest Airlines 727 jet Flight #305, in an opened condition. It is salmon or orange-pink in color; has no pilot chute and the shrouds have been cut away from the canvas pack and three of the lines had been cut out.
On the floor directly in front of seat number 18D, the exterior canvas cover for a chest type parachute was observed...an opened parachute which apparently had been removed from the canvas parachute cover described above was found spread out over seats 17C and 17B.
One back parachute with a sage green nylon container Model NB6 (Navy back pack 6) with sage green nylon harness.
Emerick said the canopy had been sewn shut and the parachute was for ground demonstration only.
If it had been usable he could not have attached it to his parachute harness, which had no D rings for use with a chest pack.
Missing back pack is a model NB-6 (Navy Back Pack Six). Container is sage-green, nylon, and parachute is twenty-eight feet nylon white flight circular (nonsteerable). Back pack equipped with special foam cushion and has sage-green nylon harness with no 'D' rings to mount chest pack
In Seattle, persons familiar with the chutes said the reserve chest chutes could not have attached to the main chute's harness.
Emrick explained that in order to be able to use his chestpacks, the jumper must have two "D-rings" on the backpack harness to which the chestpack can be attached. The backpacks obtained from Renton Aviation did not have these "D-rings." Earl Cossey, 30, or Seattle, who made the backpack chutes, confirmed this. Authorities were unable to explain the absence of the unusable chestpack.
Mr. Cossey said that if the hijacker opened of the chest packs on the airplane he probably would remove the parachute and put the money in the chest pack.
she recalls that he was occupied with...attempting to in some way pack the money in a parachute container in order that he could in some way attach it to his body along with the regular parachute straps.
sketch makes him look younger than he is
a sort of disinterested, let's get it over with look.
She was very adamant in her insistence that the artist's conception shown to her was not a good likeness of the hijacker.
The intent of this change to the artist's composite is to more clearly show [hijacker's] age and swarthy complexion.
She stated he was more refined in appearance than sketch B indicates
She advised that Artist's Conception B bears a very close resemblance to the unsub.
She said she believes the hijacker would be easily recognized from this sketch.
In view of the numerous contacts with the witnesses who supplied the descriptive data from which the sketch was prepared and the lapse of time since they observed the hijacker, it is felt no constructive purpose can be served by further attempts at modification based contact with these same witnesses.
If Unsub [unidentified subject] was a member of a sport parachute club he would certainly be an unusual member, one that would be easily recognized by the other members
It is felt that unsub [unidentified subject] possibly maintains his physical well being through regular exercise
Unsub [unidentified subject] was probably a 'loner' and carried out the hijacking by himself with no partners.
It is believed an alcoholic or former alcoholic who had just had one drink and was placed in a situation of similar stress would succumb to the pressure and imbibe in the free drinks offered him by the stewardesses.
It is felt Unsub [unidentified subject] may possibly smoke less than one pack a day.
On the seat numbered 18E a black clip-on tie was observed.
'The hijacker displayed an extensive knowledge of the aircraft and specifically well informed in refueling procedures'
'... the hijacker displayed a specific knowledge of flying and aircraft in general.'
'She also commented that he appeared to be completely familiar with the parachutes which had been furnished to him.'
'He said that anyone who had six or seven practice jumps could accomplish this as the first five jumps would be on a static line and the subsequent jumps would be free fall.'
'It was his opinion that the skyjacker would suffer severe ankle and or leg injuries from this jump. Mr. Cossey said the fact the hijacker wore street shoes would also increase the chance that he would be injured on landing as the most experienced jumpers wear jump boots or some rigid ankle support.'
He wonders if this paper bag could have contained a jump suit and a pair of boots.
She also commented that he appeared to be completely familiar with the parachutes which had been furnished to him.
Others called it straight-up fiction, and for good reason. A key subplot of the book – LeClair and Clara's meet-cute experience in a small, unnamed Northwest town the day after the skyjacking – is obviously untrue. ... Another interpretation: Gunther just made it all up.
Others called it straight-up fiction, and for good reason. A key subplot of the book – LeClair and Clara's meet-cute experience in a small, unnamed Northwest town the day after the skyjacking – is obviously untrue. ... Another interpretation: Gunther just made it all up.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Others called it straight-up fiction, and for good reason. A key subplot of the book – LeClair and Clara's meet-cute experience in a small, unnamed Northwest town the day after the skyjacking – is obviously untrue. ... Another interpretation: Gunther just made it all up.
Tina said 'do you want me to stay here?' and the man replied, 'yes'.
One of the specific demands [Cooper] made was the fuel truck is to come first and start fueling the plane immediately. After fueling is completed and the money is aboard, he indicated the passengers would be released, and the last item to be brought aboard the aircraft would be the chutes, and at that time only the crew members were to be aboard, and they must stay out of the aisle and remain in their seats.
the hijacker insisted she be physically present by his side at all times. She recalled she sat with him almost the entire time of the flight.
He was not nervous. He seemed rather nice and he was not cruel or nasty.
She asked him why he picked Northwest Airlines to hijack and he laughed and said, 'It's not because I have a grudge against your airlines, it's just because I have a grudge.' He paused and said the flight suited his time, place, and plans.
He asked her where she was from and she told him that she was from Pennsylvania, but was living in Minneapolis, Minn. He indicated that Minneapolis, Minn., was very nice country.
Other conversation centered on personal habits such as smoking and he asked her if she did and she said she used to, but had quit, and he offered her a cigarette, which she took and smoked.
The cowboy was hassling Tina for information about the mechanical difficulties and generally being a nuisance. The hijacker seemed to enjoy the situation at first but told the cowboy to go back to his seat.
After he was seated and Tina returned to seat 18 D, next to the hijacker, he said, 'If that is a Sky Marshal I don't want any more of that,' and she reassured him that it wasn't and further, that there were no sky marshals on that flight.
Seattle First National Bank, Seattle, Washington, who provided the money paid on this case advises that the money in the bag weighed nineteen pounds and the contents measured eleven inches by twelve inches by six and one half inches
microfilm upon which was record[ed] the serial number[s] of all the bills...
The Flight landed at Seattle International Airport at 5:46 Pacific time.
Prior to landing, the captain wanted permission to park his aircraft away from the terminal and the hijacker said okay.
He requested an unmarked car and a representative of the airline would be allowed to approach the aircraft from a ten o'clock relative position. The only other equipment to go near the aircraft was to be the air stairs and refueling equipment.
the blonde stewardess, who had been sitting next to the hijacker, got up and went forward and out of the forward exit of the plane. He said she returned through the same door after several minutes carrying a package which was made of off-white canvas.
[she] departed the aircraft through the forward door as soon as the stairs were put in place.
[Mucklow] recalled that she, in an attempt at being humorous, stated to the hijacker while the passengers were unloading that there was obviously a lot of money in the bag and she wondered if she could have some. The hijacker immediately agreed with her suggestion and_took one package of the money, denominations unrecalled by and handed it to her. She returned the money, stating to the hijacker that she was not permitted to accept gratuities or words to that effect. In this connection recalled that at one time during the flight the hijacker had pulled some single bills from his pocket and had attempted to tip all the girls on the crew. Again they declined in compliance with company policy.
She also recalled that at this time all hostesses and male crew members were still aboard the aircraft.
[Florence] came back to where the hijacker was seated and asked if she could get her purse and he said that she should come on back, he wouldn't bite her.
He appeared irritated that they did not give him a knapsack.
he was occupied with one of the parachute packs ... and attempting to in some way attach it to his body.
Her recollections in this regard were vague.
It was finally agreed...that Mucklow would remain on board to lower the door and stairs after the aircraft was airborne.
She told him that she was fearful of being sucked out of the airplane.
The cockpit called and told her to use the escape rope to secure herself when they found out that she was going to lower the ladder once the aircraft is airborne. She related this to the hijacker and he said, 'no,' he didn't want her to go up front or them to come back.
She asked him to cut some nylon cord from the parachute for her to use as a safety line when she opened the rear ladder and the hijacker said, 'Nevermind,' that he would do it...
the hijacker suddenly told her to go forward of the aft compartment, to close the curtain behind her and not to return to the rear compartment again.
she pleaded with him to take the bomb with him and he said he would take it with him or disarm it before he leaves.
the last time she saw him he had a nylon cord tied around his waist and was standing in the isle.
Approximately four minutes after take off, he stood up, told her to go to the cockpit
Rataczak stated they had not yet reached Portland proper, but were definitely in the suburbs or the immediate vicinity thereof.
Before descending at Reno, Nev., she called repeatedly over the intercom system to the hijacker to cooperate, that the aircraft must land. The last message was, 'Sir, we are going to land now, please put up the stairs.'
Beale Air Force Base, California, had offered, free of charge to the Bureau, use of an SR-71 aircraft to photograph terrain over which the hijacked airplane had flown on its trip to Reno
photographic over-flights using SR-71 aircraft were conducted on five separate occasions with no photographs_obtained due to limited visibility from very high altitude.
At about 11:30 pm, there was a burglary of a grocery store located roughly 10 miles south of the Dam. Survival rations were taken including beef jerky, cigarettes, gloves, etc.
Hijacker wore non-lace type shoes of ankle length.
On the seat numbered 18E a black clip-on tie was observed. This black tie contained a tie clasp, yellow gold in color. with a white pearl circular stone in the center.
the limb hair possesses too few unique microscopic characteristics to be of value...
The head hair clipping is suitable for significant comparison results.
The Laboratory is also requested to examine the ashtray contents and specifically process any Raleigh filter tip cigarette butts for possible fingerprint identification or comparison.
No latent prints of value developed contents of ashtray.
The DNA Unit was contacted and agreed to perform an unknown subject analysis on the numerous cigarette butts left by COOPER on the aircraft that day. They believed it likely that DNA could be recovered. Unfortunately, it was discovered that this evidence had been destroyed years earlier in Las Vegas.
Along with the two chestpack chutes from Sky Sports, located in Issaquah, the hijacker was provided with two backpack chutes by Norman Hayden, of Renton Aviation.
Cossey further stated that the parachutes supplied to UNSUB were of non-steerable variety and therefore, had no steering devices whatever.
They both were like military chutes in that they did not have sleeves.
One (1) orange or salmon-pink chest parachute. This chute was found on board the hijacked Northwest Airlines 727 jet Flight #305, in an opened condition. It is salmon or orange-pink in color; has no pilot chute and the shrouds have been cut away from the canvas pack and three of the lines had been cut out.
On the floor directly in front of seat number 18D, the exterior canvas cover for a chest type parachute was observed...an opened parachute which apparently had been removed from the canvas parachute cover described above was found spread out over seats 17C and 17B.
One back parachute with a sage green nylon container Model NB6 (Navy back pack 6) with sage green nylon harness.
Emerick said the canopy had been sewn shut and the parachute was for ground demonstration only.
Missing back pack is a model NB-6 (Navy Back Pack Six). Container is sage-green, nylon, and parachute is twenty-eight feet nylon white flight circular (nonsteerable). Back pack equipped with special foam cushion and has sage-green nylon harness with no 'D' rings to mount chest pack
In Seattle, persons familiar with the chutes said the reserve chest chutes could not have attached to the main chute's harness.
Emrick explained that in order to be able to use his chestpacks, the jumper must have two "D-rings" on the backpack harness to which the chestpack can be attached. The backpacks obtained from Renton Aviation did not have these "D-rings." Earl Cossey, 30, or Seattle, who made the backpack chutes, confirmed this. Authorities were unable to explain the absence of the unusable chestpack.
she recalls that he was occupied with...attempting to in some way pack the money in a parachute container in order that he could in some way attach it to his body along with the regular parachute straps.
sketch makes him look younger than he is
a sort of disinterested, let's get it over with look.
She was very adamant in her insistence that the artist's conception shown to her was not a good likeness of the hijacker.
The intent of this change to the artist's composite is to more clearly show [hijacker's] age and swarthy complexion.
She stated he was more refined in appearance than sketch B indicates
She advised that Artist's Conception B bears a very close resemblance to the unsub.
She said she believes the hijacker would be easily recognized from this sketch.
In view of the numerous contacts with the witnesses who supplied the descriptive data from which the sketch was prepared and the lapse of time since they observed the hijacker, it is felt no constructive purpose can be served by further attempts at modification based contact with these same witnesses.
If Unsub [unidentified subject] was a member of a sport parachute club he would certainly be an unusual member, one that would be easily recognized by the other members
It is felt that unsub [unidentified subject] possibly maintains his physical well being through regular exercise
Unsub [unidentified subject] was probably a 'loner' and carried out the hijacking by himself with no partners.
It is believed an alcoholic or former alcoholic who had just had one drink and was placed in a situation of similar stress would succumb to the pressure and imbibe in the free drinks offered him by the stewardesses.
It is felt Unsub [unidentified subject] may possibly smoke less than one pack a day.
On the seat numbered 18E a black clip-on tie was observed.
'The hijacker displayed an extensive knowledge of the aircraft and specifically well informed in refueling procedures'
'... the hijacker displayed a specific knowledge of flying and aircraft in general.'
'She also commented that he appeared to be completely familiar with the parachutes which had been furnished to him.'
'He said that anyone who had six or seven practice jumps could accomplish this as the first five jumps would be on a static line and the subsequent jumps would be free fall.'
'It was his opinion that the skyjacker would suffer severe ankle and or leg injuries from this jump. Mr. Cossey said the fact the hijacker wore street shoes would also increase the chance that he would be injured on landing as the most experienced jumpers wear jump boots or some rigid ankle support.'
Others called it straight-up fiction, and for good reason. A key subplot of the book – LeClair and Clara's meet-cute experience in a small, unnamed Northwest town the day after the skyjacking – is obviously untrue. ... Another interpretation: Gunther just made it all up.
He wonders if this paper bag could have contained a jump suit and a pair of boots.
She also commented that he appeared to be completely familiar with the parachutes which had been furnished to him.
'The night it happened, I thought he had a 50 percent chance,' he said. '... It has gone down since then.'
Others called it straight-up fiction, and for good reason. A key subplot of the book – LeClair and Clara's meet-cute experience in a small, unnamed Northwest town the day after the skyjacking – is obviously untrue. ... Another interpretation: Gunther just made it all up.
Others called it straight-up fiction, and for good reason. A key subplot of the book – LeClair and Clara's meet-cute experience in a small, unnamed Northwest town the day after the skyjacking – is obviously untrue. ... Another interpretation: Gunther just made it all up.