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Crime & Justice • Unsolved Crime

D.B. Cooper

D.B.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

D.B. Cooper is the name used for an unidentified man who hijacked a Northwest Orient Airlines flight in 1971, extorted $200,000, and parachuted from the aircraft. His true identity and fate have never been confirmed, making the case one of the best-known unsolved crimes in U.S. history.

The hijacking

On Thanksgiving Eve 1971, a man identifying himself as Dan Cooper boarded Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 in Portland and claimed to have a bomb. He demanded cash and parachutes, then released the passengers in Seattle before ordering the plane airborne again.

The ransom and jump

The hijacker received $200,000 in ransom and later parachuted from the Boeing 727 after the plane left Seattle. His landing site, survival, and identity were never confirmed.

Investigation and legacy

Authorities conducted an extensive manhunt, but the case remained unsolved. D.B. Cooper became a lasting symbol of an extraordinary aviation crime and one of the most famous mysteries in U.S. criminal history.

Key facts

  • The hijacking occurred on November 24, 1971, on Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305.
  • The hijacker used the alias Dan Cooper, which became widely known as D.B. Cooper after a reporting error.
  • He demanded $200,000 in ransom and four parachutes.
  • After the passengers were released, he ordered the plane to fly again and then jumped from it over the Pacific Northwest.
  • The case remains unsolved, and no confirmed arrest or identification has ever been made.

Frequently asked questions

Who is D.B. Cooper?
D.B. Cooper is the name given to an unidentified man who hijacked a Northwest Orient Airlines flight in 1971 and disappeared after parachuting from the aircraft.
What happened to D.B. Cooper?
He threatened the crew with a bomb, received ransom money, released the passengers, and then parachuted from the plane over the Pacific Northwest. His fate is unknown.
How much money did D.B. Cooper steal?
He received $200,000 in ransom.
Was D.B. Cooper ever caught?
No. Despite a long investigation, he was never positively identified or arrested.
What plane did D.B. Cooper hijack?
He hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305, flown on a Boeing 727.
When did D.B. Cooper hijack the plane?
He hijacked the plane on November 24, 1971.

References

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/D-B-Cooper
    Supports: Identity as D.B. Cooper, the 1971 hijacking, ransom, parachute jump, and unsolved status
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper
    Supports: Alias Dan Cooper, Flight 305, Boeing 727, ransom amount, and sequence of events
  3. HISTORY — https://www.history.com/articles/who-was-d-b-cooper
    Supports: Overview of the hijacking, ransom, parachute jump, and unresolved identity
  4. CBS News — https://www.cbsnews.com/news/remembering-db-cooper/
    Supports: Date, ransom amount, Flight 305, and unsolved nature of the case
  5. Crime Museum — https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/cold-cases/d-b-cooper/
    Supports: Unsolved case status and disappearance after the jump
  6. The Week — https://www.theweek.com/articles/517640/briefing-legend-db-cooper
    Supports: Alias Dan Cooper and the date of the hijacking