The search for the mysterious man who hijacked an American jetliner in 1971 and vanished into the night with $200,000 continues to baffle investigators, as newly declassified FBI documents shed light on decades worth of pursuit that has yielded no clear answers.
Despite examining hundreds of suspects, including a man in a wheelchair and a hoaxer who impersonated the hijacker, the FBI remains no closer to uncovering the real identity of DB Cooper more than 50 years after the infamous skyjacking, the US Sun reported.
On November 24, 1971, a man using the alias Dan Cooper boarded Northwest Flight 305 departing from Portland, Oregon, bound for Seattle. Mid-flight, he handed a note to a flight attendant stating he carried a bomb and opened a briefcase to show wires and red cylinders that supported his threat.
The man, described by witnesses as dark-haired and in his mid-40s, ordered a bourbon and 7UP and took a seat near the rear of the plane. Upon landing in Seattle, he released 36 passengers in exchange for $200,000 in cash and four parachutes.
Under his guidance, the plane took off again with a reduced crew, flying toward Mexico City. At an altitude of around 10,000 feet between Seattle and Reno, Nevada, the hijacker parachuted out of the back of the aircraft and was never seen again.
A 398-page FBI file recently made available to the public retraces the investigative steps taken over the years. It documents the analysis of various leads, interrogations of suspects, and forensic evaluations that moved the case forward but ultimately led nowhere conclusive.
From early on, the FBI pursued hundreds of leads across the country. One particularly unusual tip involved a man who was in a wheelchair. Investigators quickly dismissed this possibility, writing, “A man confined to a wheel chair [sic] did not hijack the plane in this case.”
Investigators regularly showed photographs of potential suspects to eyewitnesses for identification. They dismissed most of them, often marking the files with the word “eliminated,” since none matched the man who boarded the plane that day.
An especially elaborate incident occurred when Donald Sylvester Murphy falsely declared himself to be DB Cooper. He made this bizarre confession to a former editor from Newsweek, drawing attention and sparking an FBI investigation.
Murphy attempted to match the widely circulated sketch of the hijacker by donning a wig and glasses. According to documents, he impersonated Cooper visually “otherwise appearing much like” the noted drawings used in media coverage.
The motivation behind his claim was revealed to be financial. Murphy had teamed up with a conspirator in an extortion effort. Both men were ultimately convicted and sentenced to prison, their hoax detailed in a 1973 article published by The New York Times.
In 2022, independent investigator Eric Ulis revived interest in the mystery by focusing on a tie left behind on the plane by the hijacker. Working with forensic expert Tom Kaye, the pair discovered rare titanium particles on the clip-on accessory.
Investigators traced the metallic samples to Crucible Steel in Midland, Pennsylvania, offering a potential occupational lead. Ulis argued that Vince Petersen, a now-deceased metallurgist who worked at that plant, fits the profile of the elusive hijacker.
Despite this compelling evidence, federal authorities did not include Petersen’s name in the newly released FBI files, raising questions about whether they ever formally considered him a suspect.
One of the passengers onboard Flight 305, Michael Cooper, recalled the hijacker’s steady demeanor. Reflecting on the experience last year, he said the man appeared to be in his 40s, dressed neatly in a jacket and tie, and “was just real quiet.”
Statements from multiple passengers consistently described the hijacker as calm and authoritative, not displaying aggression or panic during the crime. His ability to maintain composure added to the legend and enigma surrounding the case.
Investigators have examined many suspects over the years—including former airline employees, skydivers, Boeing workers, and even individuals with terminal illnesses—but they have confirmed no solid match.
The legend of DB Cooper has endured for decades, inspiring books, documentaries, and an enduring public fascination. The lack of definitive answers and the audacity of the escape continue to stir speculation around every new lead or theory.
While many believe Richard McCoy Jr.—identified by his children in recent years—might be the long-sought skyjacker, the FBI files do not mention him, suggesting the agency had limited confidence in that theory or never fully pursued it.
As of today, the FBI acknowledges the case is at a standstill. Despite advanced forensic tools and decades of investigation, the identity of America’s most elusive hijacker remains shrouded in mystery.
