Stuff You Should Know: Live – The D.B. Cooper Heist

Podcast: Stuff You Should Know
Hosts: Josh Clark & Charles W. (Chuck) Bryant
Date: September 26, 2025 (original Seattle live show recorded in 2017)
Runtime: ~94 minutes

Overview

This special live episode, recorded in Seattle, dives into the enduring mystery surrounding D.B. Cooper—the man who, in 1971, hijacked a plane, secured $200,000 in ransom, and parachuted into legend. Hosts Josh and Chuck dissect the heist, the investigation, and subsequent suspects, all with their trademark humor, sharp research, and audience engagement. It's an informative, entertaining journey through what is still America's only unsolved airplane hijacking.

Main Topics & Timeline

1. Scene Setting and The Heist Begins

[06:54]–[14:15]

• Thanksgiving Eve, 1971: Portland Airport (PDX). A mysterious man buys a ticket for Northwest Orient Flight 305 (a Boeing 727-100) to Seattle, asking pointedly about the plane model.
• Alias Chosen: He purchases his one-way ticket under the name "Dan Cooper"—no ID required in those days.
• Description: Cooper is described as an unremarkable, 40-ish man: russet suit (brief period in history where that color was fashionable), clip-on JCPenney tie, overcoat, briefcase, horn-rim sunglasses, dark wavy hair, and "swarthy."
• Atmosphere on the Plane: Cooper sits in 18C, orders a bourbon and Seven-Up, lights a Raleigh-brand cigarette (legal on flights then), and is noticed for being extremely calm and gentlemanly—the archetype of “Don Draper” rather than “Charles Manson.”

“You could smoke on planes—he looked a little more like Don Draper.”
—Chuck [10:20]

2. The Hijacking Unfolds

[12:04]–[20:00]

• The Note: Cooper hands a note to Florence Schaffner, a flight attendant. She ignores it at first, assuming it's a come-on, until Cooper quietly insists she read it: “I have a bomb.”
• Bomb Threat: He discreetly shows her the bomb—red sticks, battery, alarm clock. She alerts the others, passing along Cooper's strict instructions for $200,000 in "negotiable American currency," four parachutes (two front, two back), and a refueled plane.
• Cooper’s Approach: He avoids providing handwriting evidence—demands back his original note, dictates further instructions.
• Integral Flight Crew: Head flight attendant Alice Hancock, as well as Tina Mucklow and Florence Schaffner; pilots Captain William Scott and co-pilot Robert Rataczak.

“I just have a grudge.”
—D.B. Cooper (to Tina Mucklow, via Chuck) [26:34]

3. How Hijackings Were Handled, 1970s Style

[14:13]–[21:10]

• A Common Crime: Between 1968–1971, there were nearly 100 U.S. hijackings (“golden age of skyjacking”). Air marshals were logistically unfeasible.
• FBI’s Mindset: No established protocol for a non-political, ransom-motivated hijacker.
• Flight Circles Seattle: Cooper makes demands; the plane circles for an hour while the FBI assembles ransom and parachutes.

4. Negotiations & Drop-Off

[26:40]–[35:00]

• On the Ground:
  • The airline president swiftly agrees to the ransom—insurance covers it.
  • $200,000 is assembled in marked $20 bills.
• Parachute Mix-Up:
  • Delay in securing four parachutes from Earl Cossey at Seattle Sky Sports; accidentally includes a dummy training chute that can’t open.
  • Cooper insists all window shades be drawn, anticipating snipers.
• Hostages Exchanged:
  • Mucklow bravely brings the ransom and supplies aboard in exchange for the passenger hostages—then returns to the plane by choice.

“She traded herself for the hostages... That’s metal.”
—Josh [33:17]

5. Cooper's Escape

[40:00]–[46:41]

• Flight Plan: Cooper requests to fly slow (max 10,000 feet; 190 mph), flaps at 15 degrees, and for the aft staircase to remain ready. Destination: originally "Mexico City," but Cooper clarifies he simply wants to jump.
• Jump Sequence:
  • Cooper moves to the rear (“jump-off position”) with Mucklow, then sends her to the cockpit.
  • At 8:12pm, a cockpit light alerts “door ajar”; the crew feel a slight vibration—presumed moment of Cooper’s leap.

“At this point, nobody to anyone’s knowledge ever saw Dan Cooper again.”
—Chuck [46:30]

6. The Aftermath and Investigation

[46:41]–[54:57]

• Immediate Manhunt:
  • Massive ground search in the forests near Ariel, Washington, and Lewis River—thousands of law enforcement involved.
  • Jets and helicopters fail to track the slow-moving 727.
  • The CIA’s ultra-secret SR-71 Blackbird is even scrambled (“scrambled” is debated for comic effect).
• Where Did “D.B. Cooper” Come From?
  • Initial confusion: the hijacker signed “Dan Cooper,” but a clerical/reporting error cements “D.B. Cooper” in legend.
• FBI Presumes Death:
  • Lead agent Ralph Himmelsbach (author of "NORJACK"): Cooper likely died in the jump—parachute unopened, body lost in the wilderness.

“It was just the line that they took… There’s no way this guy survived.”
—Josh [54:28]

7. Theories: Did Cooper Survive?

[56:27]–[62:09]

• Harsh Conditions:
  • Freezing night, difficult terrain, unsuitable clothing, and poor parachute/supplies choices.
• Investigation Clues:
  • Cooper left behind his clip-on tie, eight cigarette butts (since lost), and a headrest hair; FBI used fingerprints (inconclusive).
  • A 1978 hunter found a Boeing 727 staircase instruction card.

8. Key Breakthroughs and the Money Trail

[69:27]–[74:41]

• 1980: Stacks of $20 Bills Found:
  • Eight-year-old Brian Ingram discovers $5,880 near Tina Bar, a Columbia River sandbar, 20 miles from the presumed drop zone—serial numbers match ransom cash.
• Theories of Money’s Journey:
  • FBI hydrologists posit the cash arrived via a later flood or dredging, exposed to elements for less than a year.
• 2008: Parachute Discovery:
  • Parachute found near Amboy, WA (ultimately not Cooper’s—belonged to a WWII pilot); shows it’s possible to survive such jumps in the area.

9. Suspects & Pop Culture

[75:32]–[88:56]

• Numerous Suspects:
  • Over 1,000 tips/confessions, many from prisoners hoping for transfer to federal prison (better "cinnamon buns").
  • Notable Suspects:
    • Richard McCoy: Hijacked a 727 four months later in a copycat case, later killed in a shootout.
    • Duane Weber: Deathbed confession to his wife, geography/timeline fits but ruled out by DNA.
    • Kenny Christiansen: Airline employee and former paratrooper—deathbed confession avoided by family; strong likeness to sketch.
    • L.D. Cooper: Outed by his niece; suspicious behavior after the heist, but unlikely due to lack of skydiving experience.
• DB Cooper in Pop Culture:
  • 1981’s “The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper” (starring Treat Williams, Robert Duvall—terrible reviews).
  • Unsolved Mysteries episodes, numerous websites (Dropzone.com community).
  • The “Cooper Vane”—a security device installed on 727s to prevent repeats of the stair jump.

“The FBI says about – well, they won’t say, but a lot of people say about a thousand [suspects].”
—Josh [80:05]

10. Legacy & Modern Investigation

[88:56]–[93:57]

• Longest Unsolved US Hijacking:
  • The case was marked officially unsolved by the FBI in 2016.
• Ongoing Sleuthing:
  • Online DB Cooper “Cooperists,” led to the unmasking of the current FBI case supervisor, Larry Carr, as a DropZone.com forum user “Secret.”
  • FBI updates evidence with new DNA testing; tantalizing finds include titanium traces and “impatiens” pollen on Cooper’s tie—still unexplained.
• Cultural Legacy:
  • Metal detectors and baggage searches at airports stem from this event.
  • Periodic DB Cooper Day festivals in Ariel, WA, including lookalike contests.

“Cooper is the reason we all started walking through metal detectors shortly afterward… and that little white paddle that holds the airplane’s stairs shut is called the Cooper vane.”
—Josh [92:54]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On 1970s Air Travel:
  “Planes got hijacked all the time because you could bring guns and bombs on planes and you didn’t need ID and no one cared.”
  —Chuck [14:15]

• On Tina Mucklow’s Heroism:
  “She essentially traded herself for the hostages and went back on the plane.”
  —Josh [33:16]

• On Deathbed Confessions:
  “Did you know you can not hear a deathbed confession?”
  —Chuck [86:50]

• On The DB Cooper Legacy:
  “To this day, the heist remains the only unsolved airline hijacking in the history of… America.”
  —Chuck [89:33]

Notable Details & Fun Facts

• Cooper’s demands (parachutes): By asking for two of each type, he prevented the FBI from sabotaging the parachutes (they feared he’d force a hostage to jump as well).
• The ransom money: All serial numbers logged—some found nine years later, many unaccounted for.
• Pop culture: The hijacker’s name is only “D.B. Cooper” due to a media mistake; his ticket said “Dan Cooper,” likely taken from a Belgian-Canadian comic book.
• Lasting influence:
  • Introduction of airport security screening.
  • Retrofit of Boeing 727s to physically prevent “stair jumps.”
• On Tina Mucklow: Following the trauma, she became a nun in Oregon, though her superior claimed “she never really fit in here.”

Final Analysis

Josh and Chuck blend deep research, sharp wit, and signature banter to bring this enigmatic case to life. They emphasize the sociocultural impact of the Cooper heist, the copious suspects and theories, and the ongoing obsession with the mystery. The audience, particularly aware of Seattle-area details, is playfully engaged and treated to local nods, tangents, and classic Stuff You Should Know digressions. While the case itself remains unsolved, the episode captures precisely why it still fascinates and why, “DB Cooper” remains a uniquely American legend.

Quick Reference Timeline

| Time | Segment/Topic Summary | |----------|-----------------------------------------------| | 01:09 | Introduction and live show context | | 06:54 | Setting the scene—Cooper at the airport | | 13:14 | The hijack note and Florence Schaffner | | 18:05 | Cooper’s ransom & demands | | 21:57 | Flight circles Seattle, passengers oblivious | | 28:46 | Sourcing parachutes—accidental dummy chute | | 33:16 | Hostage handover—Mucklow’s bravery | | 40:08 | The escape plan & technical demands | | 46:26 | The jump—8:12pm, unseen by crew or jets | | 48:45 | Massive manhunt; CIA & “scrambling” jets | | 51:46 | Origins of “D.B. Cooper” name | | 54:28 | FBI’s official stance—believes Cooper died | | 69:33 | 1980: The money found on Tina Bar | | 75:32 | Suspect parade—McCoy, Weber, Christiansen etc.| | 91:03 | Internet sleuthing & modern investigation | | 92:54 | Legacy (airport security, Cooper vane, etc.) |

For a full deep-dive, listen to the episode—but with this summary, you’ll know the story, key players, and why this mystery endures.