A hijacker who became known as D.B. Cooper parachuted from 
a Northwest Orient Airlines 727 into a raging thunderstorm over Washington State.

He had $200,000 in ransom money in his possession. His brazen
crime still stands as one of the most mysterious in history.

Cooper commandeered the aircraft shortly after takeoff, showing
a flight attendant something that looked like a bomb.

(L to R) Captain William Scott; First officer/copilot Robert Rataczak; flight attendant Tina Mucklow; and second
officer Harold Anderson are shown here at a news
conference in Reno, Nevada, after the arrival of Flight
305 to Reno International Airport.     
    
    
    
    
FBI Special Agent Larry Carr.

Northwest Orient Flight 305’s 727 seen in the light of day.

Sketches of the mysterious DB Cooper compiled from descriptions by passengers and crew from the hijacked
flight. (FBI)

A hijacker who became known as D.B. Cooper parachuted from
a Northwest Orient Airlines 727 into a raging thunderstorm over Washington State. He had $200,000 in ransom money in his
possession. His brazen crime still stands as one of the most
mysterious in history.

Most authorities have assumed he died during his seemingly
suicidal jump. No trace of Cooper was ever found after a massive 
search. 
       
Cooper’s true identity has never been determined conclusively.

Cooper commandeered the aircraft shortly after takeoff, showing
a flight attendant something that looked like a bomb and informing
the crew that he wanted $200,000, four parachutes, and “no funny
stuff.” The plane landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport,
where authorities met Cooper’s demands and evacuated most of
the passengers.

N467US, the Northwest aircraft involved in the hijacking.         
          
         

Crew of Flight 305 upon landing in Reno: (left to right)
Captain William Scott, Co-pilot Bill Rataczak, Flight
Attendant Tina Mucklow, Flight Engineer Harold E.
Anderson.

TIM MAGUIRE

Reeve’s wife, Dana, was by his side until his death.

Reeve’s widow, Dana Reeve, headed the Christopher Reeve Foundation after his death. Although a non-smoker, she
was diagnosed with lung cancer on August 9, 2005. She
died at age 44 on March 6, 2006, and the foundation was subsequently renamed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. All Reeve’s children serve on the board of
directors of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

A hijacker who became known as D.B. Cooper parachutes from
a Northwest Orient Airlines 727 into a raging thunderstorm over Washington State. He had $200,000 in ransom money in his
possession.

Cooper commandeered the aircraft shortly after takeoff, showing
a flight attendant what looked like a bomb and informing the crew
that he wanted $200,000, four parachutes, and “no funny stuff.”

The plane landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where authorities met Cooper’s demands and evacuated most of the passengers. Cooper then demanded that the plane fly toward
Mexico at a low altitude and ordered the remaining crew into
the cockpit.

At 8:13 p.m., as the plane flew over the Lewis River in southwest Washington, the plane’s pressure gauge recorded Cooper’s jump
from the aircraft.

A storm prevented an immediate capture, and most authorities
assumed he was killed during his apparently suicidal jump. No
trace of Cooper was found during a massive search.

TIM MAGUIRE

On May 27, 1995, Reeve broke his neck when he was thrown
from a horse during an equestrian competition in Culpeper,
Virginia. The injury paralyzed him from the shoulders down,
and he used a wheelchair and ventilator for the rest of his life.