WA WA - D.B. Cooper hijacking mystery, 24 Nov 1971 - #2

[Niner]

Niner Sorry DB is dead on his jump. We all here had been drawn in by LC and RC. And I have a feelimg Snowman is one of them

naaaay.... :crazy: I don't really believe that, JDB! I believe DB is still alive!! LOL! But I guess we will never know, unless the FBI finds him...

 

[Niner]

I'll ask again: Did I miss something?

I'm very curious about this post. The posters mentioned in it made a very methodical, convincing case for their suspect. However the quoted post implies otherwise.

If they were debunked somewhere, I would be very interested in seeing the links.

Thanks in advance.

Hey Squaddie... no, I don't believe their "theory" has been debunked anywhere - I believe it's just JDB opinion! And of course, he has a right to that! no, you didn't miss anything!

 

[XcomSquaddie]

Hey Squaddie... no, I don't believe their "theory" has been debunked anywhere - I believe it's just JDB opinion! And of course, he has a right to that! no, you didn't miss anything!

Okay. That's cool. I'm glad I didn't miss anything.

I'll have to disagree with JDB as well. I remain convinced by the LC/RC theories. Hopefully it will all be sorted out someday.

 

[Niner]

Snowman, have you read all of this thread?? I noticed your posting on the 'other' DB Cooper thread with all kinds of theories, and coordinates, etc. Left Coast & Right Coast have ALL here!!! Just wondering... :waitasec:

 

[Niner]

I just wanted to mention to all of you reading here that there is another DB Cooper thread here:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49742&page=21

as I noticed some of you have questions regarding this case - and Left Coast & Right Coast have investigated this case for over 6 years and have posted their findings in the above thread! Quite interesting, if you ask me! Just thought I'd mention it, as I 'see' repeat questions being asked here, that have been answered on the other thread!

 

[Richard]

There is another thread in Websleuths titled: D. B. Cooper, Hijacker of Airliner, 24 November 1971: FBI reopens case

LINK:


http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58128

 

[Niner]

Where is leftcoast?

Hi Pepper - unfortunately - LeftCoast died back in December, 2007. But his friend, RightCoast, has been posting on the 'other' DB thread. Here:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49742

 

[Richard]

maybe he asked for two chest parachutes and two backpack parachutes,
assuming he was going to get 4 independent rigs....

page 2 of the transcripts
SEADD ARE IN CTC WITH LOCAL BANK AND
ARRANGING FOR THE MONEY ND WILL HAVE
THE TWO CHEST PACKS SOON ALREADY HAVE
THE TWO BACK PACKS

Maybe the ground team thought they were being smart by giving him chest plus back rigs. Or maybe they were just stalling for time.

So this whole thing about the training reserve may be bogus. Cooper might
have just tossed it.

There's the whole military/civilian chute backstory that's not in the transcripts. Maybe they talked to the military and then talked to Cooper again, but Cooper rejected the military chutes (as has been reported). I think it was just a verbal rejection if so. In any case, maybe the ground team started this whole 4 parachute thing...chest vs back....?

You are correct about there being conflicting stories regarding the D.B. Cooper affair. I don't think that anyone really knows the complete story about Cooper's plans, communications, or actions.

However confusing things might seem regarding the chutes, one would have to reasonably conclude that Cooper jumped off the plane wearing one of the two backpacks which Earl Cossey had packed and delivered to the police car that evening. Whether or not he used one of the chest chutes, or whether or not one was a dummy is trumped by the fact that he went out the door with what was likely a working back pack chute.

I believe that the communication quoted above regarding the Bank negotiations for money and of them HAVING two backpacks and trying to obtain two chest chutes, most likely was referring to the two Military Parachutes that had been located first. My interpretation of the remark about the chest chutes is that it was IN REPLY to a previous request for them. And that it was likely a request from Cooper relayed by the pilot.

I doubt that the FBI would have been looking for Chest Chutes because they thought it might be a nice safety measure or because they had nothing better to do.

There is testimony by the FBI officer in charge regarding Cooper's rejection of the first two chutes (sight unseen, as they were still airborne) because they were Military Chutes. It is only speculation as to WHY he rejected them, but it could have been for a couple of reasons: First, he may have only had previous MILITARY jump experience using static line cords and wanted a chute with a ripcord handle that he could pull. And Second, he may have wanted them to have to get something very quickly so that they did not have time to sabatoge the chute to cause it to not open.

Cooper never stated WHY he wanted the two chutes/sets of chutes, but he was ASKED by the stewardess if he intended to take a hostage with him, and he replied "Maybe". It is unknown whether or not that information was relayed to the FBI during the course of the evening's events, but would be a very likely assumption for them to make. The point being; If the FBI thought that Cooper planned to jump with a hostage, they would be less likely to sabatoge the chutes.

 

[Pepper]

Hi Pepper - unfortunately - LeftCoast died back in December, 2007. But his friend, RightCoast, has been posting on the 'other' DB thread. Here:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49742

Oh my gosh, I had no idea. I'm so sorry to hear this sad news.

 

[Albert18]

A poster on another forum found a comic book character link to the name Dan Cooper.

http://www.coolfrenchcomics.com/dancooper.htm

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/francejohn/dc_page1.htm


Is this where the hijacker got the name "Dan Cooper"?

I have never heard of this comic book character before. What is interesting is this comic book series appears to have it's following in Canada and Europe.

And look at the first line of this web page.

http://www.marville.org/articles/dacooper.html

 

[KarlK]

There is testimony by the FBI officer in charge regarding Cooper's rejection of the first two chutes (sight unseen, as they were still airborne) because they were Military Chutes. It is only speculation as to WHY he rejected them, but it could have been for a couple of reasons: First, he may have only had previous MILITARY jump experience using static line cords and wanted a chute with a ripcord handle that he could pull. And Second, he may have wanted them to have to get something very quickly so that they did not have time to sabatoge the chute to cause it to not open.

Or he did not have experience with military chutes, although this is unlikely (if we assume he had jump experience at all which I am simply because it's unlikely he would have chosen that means of escape if he had never jumped). I tend not to think he was an experienced civilian recreational skydiver because had that been the case he would likely have been more specific about the type of parachutes he wanted.

On the other hand if had been a military jumper he would have known that common military chutes (your basic paratrooper equipment) are not normally used for high-altitude jumps and maybe that's why he didn't want one but then again he was surprisingly vague about the alternatives. Since he seemed to know exactly what kind of parachutes he did not want it's possible his distrust was aimed at the military themselves, not at their parachutes per se. Maybe he figured that civilian packers would be less likely to know how to quickly sabotage a parachute.

 

[Niner]

where'd Snowman go to??? and anyone 'seen' Right Coast lately - ?? I would think he would be here with all this 'new' breaking news - parachute - money being sold...

Scandi - ? are you still here lurking?? :blowkiss: ya ya!

 

[Niner]

A poster on another forum found a comic book character link to the name Dan Cooper.

http://www.coolfrenchcomics.com/dancooper.htm

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/francejohn/dc_page1.htm


Is this where the hijacker got the name "Dan Cooper"?

I have never heard of this comic book character before. What is interesting is this comic book series appears to have it's following in Canada and Europe.

And look at the first line of this web page.

http://www.marville.org/articles/dacooper.html

Wow Albert - I haven't heard this before~ Thanks for digging this up! It says 1966 - and Oregon is not really that far from Canada - so yea, maybe he did read these comic books... guess we'll never know - unless Right Coast goes up there and asks his "suspect"!!

 

[KarlK]

Wow Albert - I haven't heard this before~ Thanks for digging this up! It says 1966 - and Oregon is not really that far from Canada - so yea, maybe he did read these comic books... guess we'll never know - unless Right Coast goes up there and asks his "suspect"!!

From what I gather the comic book character "Dan Cooper" was the main character in a popular European comic series of the 1960's. The author was Belgian cartoonist Albert Weinberg and the series was published in Brussels but the character Dan Cooper (Dan Cooper was also the title of the series) was an RCAF test pilot. The series debuted while there was still worldwide interest in the advanced and somewhat mysterious combat aircraft that had been developed in Canada during the 1950's and was known as the CF-105 Avro Arrow which Dan Cooper is depicted as test-flying in early editions of the series. Weinberg was apparently not aware that combat aircraft are test-flown by civilian pilots, not military.

There is one aspect of the series that is significant: it was only published in French (Weinberg's native language) and later in German but never in English so Dan Cooper despite his North American roots was mostly known in Europe, but apparently also had a following among French Canadians. This opens up a new possibility: many French Canadians speak English with no noticeable accent, so I guess it's possible that Cooper was, in fact, a Canadian. I'm sure that back in '71 the FBI notified Canadian LE to be on the lookout for Cooper should he attempt to cross over, like they do for most fugitives on the run. However if Canadian authorities were looking for an American fugitive in their midst they could have completely missed a Canadian because he would just blend in.

Just an idea but what the heck, it could explain why Cooper never resurfaced and even explain why he chose that name.

 

[scandi]

I dont know where they came up with the parachutes they gave Cooper,hopefully they can be identified.
It does occur to me though that here in the Northwest(im in Idaho) The US Forest Service has been dropping smoke jumpers on forest fires since the late 1940's.
The Parachutes were supplied by whichever manufacturer managed to lowbid the contract with the government.
The parachutes generally werent packed out so this one could easily be one of those.Im sure that occured to the FBI.

Hi Kline, There is just a bounty of detailed information in all of LeftCoast's posts, and since he talked to the man who packed his chute, I think you would find that in part one of the DB Cooper saga {that we are so very fortunate to have here}.

Hi to Niner, and Linask, Taximom, Richard, JDB, RightCoast and all my dear friends here.

This weekend I have to go back to those posts where we talked about where he most likely landed, by his plan. That circle with the radiowaves that gives a plane their exact location. That is where LeftCoast thought he jumped, and I thought Amboy was too far North or NW where the chute was found to be the location.

I'm just reading to start catching up, but wanted to say Hi to all, Oh, and to our newcomers too who have a wealth of information as well. Nice to meet you ;}

 

[georger]

Hi. Snowmman I believe you have done superb homework here. I have a few
questions and comments:

1. What would prove the chute recently found is Cooper's dummy backup?
2. Why is the stairwell instruction placard found in '74 never mentioned and
would its ground position not help estimate a flight path for the 727?
3. Has this event ever been computer modeled to your knowledge? It is
difficult for me to believe the FBI has not done this?
4. In addition to the Heisson witness there was a previous earlier witness
who was interviewed immediately after the event - she basically stated
what Heisson has stated - the 727 went right over her house. I believe
from these reports the altitude may have been around 3500 ft or lower?
5. Who were these hydrologists the FBI says did sediment tests etc of the
money found? Its odd that report has never been issued? This was the
report that had the FBI conclude the money washed down from a
different sediment ecology in the Washougal. The implication is sediment
tests confirm the link???

You do realise if the cute is not Cooper's then the Amboy, Heisson, Columbia money is less likely. I have always wondered if there were chutes
in the 727 stairwell area that Cooper could have grabbed one and thrown it out as a test prior to jumping?

Thanks for any comments,
Jerry

 

[georger]

Is this thread still active in the Cooper matter? Seem to be several unlinked
threads and no recent activity. Any help appreciated -
Jerry

 

[Richard]

Is this thread still active in the Cooper matter? Seem to be several unlinked
threads and no recent activity. Any help appreciated -
Jerry

Hi Jerry, I cannot speak to whether or not any of the linked threads on Cooper are still active, but I can say that this one seems to be a pretty active one since it was started on 4 January of this year.

Of course, the story of D.B. Cooper has been around since Thanksgiving 1971, and there have been numerous books and articles done about him. The FBI has never been able to find him, or even determine who he really was in all that time.

 

[georger]

Thanks for your eply. I was hoping to snag Snowmman, guess he is the same
as LC or RC, one of the two. He seems very informed. I posted a number of
questions earlier and was hopng to get his input. Im not on the west coast
or nor-west but I have been following this for years. I was hoping with the
development at Amboy and renewed FBI interest Snowmman or somebody
else might have some new insights. Reade my questions above and you will
know where I'm coming from ...

Thanks Richard,
Jerry

 

[georger]

Do you know where I can get a copy of the transcript Snowmman was evaluating and reading from ?

Thanks - Jerry