D. B. Cooper investigation: a model for the JFK assassination?

In November 1971, a guy calling himself Dan Cooper (the media mistakenly called him D. B. Cooper and the name has stuck ever since) boarded a flight in Portland bound for Seattle. He wore a suit and a black tie. While in the air, he opened his brief case showing a bomb to the flight attendant and hijacked the plane. Cooper demanded $200,000 in cash, four parachutes. When the plane landed in Seattle and seeing that his demands were met, he released the passengers and most of the flight crew while having the plane refueled. He then told the pilot to fly to Reno at the minimum airspeed at a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet with the landing gear deployed and the cabin depressurized.      
 
Not long after takeoff, Cooper sent the flight attendant to the cockpit while donning a parachute. The cockpit soon got indication that the rear airstair had been activated, followed by a change in air pressure, indicating that the rear door was open. When the plane landed with the stairs down, they found two of the four parachutes, and on the seat Cooper was sitting in, a black tie. He apparently jumped out of the plane with the bag of money. He was never found. His ultimate fate remains a mystery to this day.
 
In 1980, some of the money was discovered by a young boy in Washington. Much of it was badly deteriorated, but the serial numbers proved it was the money given to Cooper. After this, the trail went pretty cold.
 
Those are the highlights, If you don't know much about the case, you can Google it and read about it. I find it very interesting.   
 
In 2016, after 45 years of, at times, manpower intense investigation, the FBI closed the case and made their evidence available to amateur investigators and the public. One group is called the Citizen Sleuths. They began looking at the physical evidence, such as the money and the black tie Cooper was said to be wearing. Because a tie rarely gets cleaned like other articles of clothing, they used an electron microscope to look for traces of materials that might point to something that could help identify who Cooper was.
 
The thing I found interesting was the discovery of rare earth metals and traces of pure titanium on the tie. In 1971, titanium was a pretty rare material, so it seems Cooper may worked in the aircraft industry.
 
Where this all may lead—if anywhere—is unknown, but the fact that after all these years people are looking at the physical evidence using new technology is the point I want to make. People seem to be driven to solve the D. B. Cooper case and they are allowed access to the physical evidence to have it professionally analyzed. 
 
If we, like the Citizen Sleuths, could only be given unfettered access to just some of the physical film evidence associated with the JFK assassination, who knows, we might be able to help the FBI close this still open case.
 
I would think the FBI would like help with that, wouldn't they?
 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/01/16/the-d-b-cooper-case-baffled-investigators-for-decades-now-scientists-have-a-new-theory/?utm_term=.57faf28dc5c8

Research Conclusions

Conclusions

Looking into the case of D.B. Cooper after almost 40 years, brings with it decades of speculation and theories. There are two goals when attempting a scientific analysis in this situation, first is to sort out fact from speculation and the second, to determine if there is any new information that has yet to be uncovered. Once those two things have been accomplished, then a road map moving forward should be evident. Half of the work performed here was invested in sorting out the various theories about how the money ended up on Tena Bar, where the flight path was, and if the description of Cooper and the jump was accurate. The rest of the effort was put into uncovering new physical evidence mostly centered around the particles on Cooper's tie.

This research came to several conclusions based on the best information at hand. The FBI Archive and the 302's were a significant starting point. Certainly 40 years after the event, any new information such as another discovery of hidden Cooper Cash, could come to light and significantly change the Cooper Landscape. Actual experiments were performed to acquire facts that were then used to constrain different hypotheses. 

The FBI flight path map passes the test. Agents working on the flight path in 1971 had the radar and flight path data which is lost today. The SAGE radar used to track Cooper's plane was relied upon to identify, locate and track incoming Russian bombers and threats to the United States, so there is no reason to assume they would get it wrong. Analysis of various features of this case rule out the theories that require a different flight path than the one portrayed on the FBI map. Lastly, the text descriptions in the FBI 302 link the flight path to various towns. This research finds that the flight path and jump zone are reasonable and should be a cornerstone in the analysis of this case.

The money find on Tena Bar is complicated. The rubber band experiments allow less than a year for the money to become entombed in the sand. The money continues to resist all natural explanations for how it arrived on Tena Bar. The story behind the money may be as big as the Cooper story itself. There is no hard evidence that Cooper died in the jump so it remains a primary debate. If Cooper walked out of the woods, there would certainly be easier ways to explain the money if human intervention was involved.

The tie reasonably belonged to Cooper. A probability analysis was never done to estimate the likelihood of the black tie found on the plane belonging to Cooper. This probablility analysis shows that it is reasonable to assume that the tie belonged to the hijacker. This is a crucial first step since all the particles found on the tie tell a story, for that to be Cooper's story, there needed to be some critical review of the likelihood that the tie belonged to Cooper.

Cooper was a smoker. D.B. Cooper smoked eight Raleigh filter-tipped cigarettes on the plane, but there was no evidence to show if this was a regular habit of his. The majority of particles found on the tie had elemental compositions that matched book matches. The quantity of particles found must have accumulated over an extended period of time. Testimony also shows that he was concerned about retrieving his book matches after stewardess, Tina Mucklow used them to light his cigarettes.

Titanium metal was rare and exotic narrowing the field of possible D.B. Cooper suspects. The titanium particles on the tie was the most dramatic finding in this research. Most other metals would have to be written off as contamination or too common to be of any use. The additional finding that the titanium was not alloyed, allowed further restrictions on where Cooper could have acquired these unusual flecks. Cooper worked at or had access to a plant that used titanium and this fact alone reduces the number of potential suspects from millions down to hundreds.

A tie would have been worn by managers or engineers in metalworking plants. The spiral aluminum chips are only made using metalworking machinery. Since they were found on a tie, that suggests he was either an engineer or manager who went out on the shop floor. Only managers and engineers wore ties in metalworking plants at that time.

Chemical plants used pure titanium and other corrosion resistant metals. Pure titanium and 5000 series aluminum found on the tie have high anti-corrosive properties. In 1971 the most common place these two metals were found together would be chemical plants or the metal fabrication facility that built the components for the plant. Secondarily would be the companies who recovered scrap metal from these types of factories. This research shows that any new search for D.B. Cooper should begin in these areas.

Interesting but Speculative Notes about Dan Cooper

For decades Cooper has been a topic of conversation from bar rooms to the Internet (see Links). Special Agent Larry Carr gave a huge boost to the case by using the power of the public and releasing a lot of information relating to the case. Through the efforts of many people, a list of unusual characteristics has come to light that should be noted when formulating ideas about who, what and where is D.B. Cooper. Of course these ideas are all highly speculative, but are interesting enough not to be dismissed wholesale.

Cooper requested "negotiable American currency". This was the most notable line to come out of the Cooper transcripts where passengers on the plane, including the flight attendants, stated that Cooper had no distinguishable accent. Since no American citizen would use those terms, it suggests that Cooper was not originally from this country. If he was from another country, then his lack of accent points to French Canada as one of the few places in the world where you could hail from and not have an accent. The French Canadians without accents are the Franco-Manitobans, the Franco-Albertans, and possibly the Franco-Ontarians. They would be likely to not have an accent when speaking English. These communities live in a predominantly anglophone environment and tend to become native speakers. This also lines up with the fact that the Dan Cooper comic was only published in French, making Cooper's unusual request very interesting.

Wearing a suit to jump from an airplane is the classic icon of the Cooper mystery. It seems unusual until the other facts presented here are used to construct the bigger picture. If Cooper was an engineer type that wore a suit and tie to work every day, he would have been comfortable wearing it under a variety of situations. If he was planning ahead, he knew he had to hitchhike out of the woods and it is much easier to get picked up in a suit and tie than old blue jeans. If he had to invent some story and use the cash to prod a passerby into taking him to the nearest telephone or train station, a suit would have made the whole thing more believable and less suspicious.

The day before Thanksgiving is also interesting in light of the fact the FBI searched but couldn't find anyone who disappeared that weekend. If the continuing idea that Cooper died in the jump was true, then you would certainly expect to come up with a missing person report. If he lived, and the money was never found in circulation (they published all the serial numbers), then its also unlikely that he went on a spending spree and changed his lifestyle. If he didn't die, or buy a "new car", then the last option is to go back to your old life.  If you were planning on going "back to work on Monday" then you would need as much time as possible to get out of the woods, find transportation and get home. The very best time for this is in front of a four-day weekend, which is the timing Dan Cooper chose for his crime. 

For Cooper Sleuths, keep an eye out for a suspect from Canada, with military experience in airplanes. He would have come to this country to work in or around titanium metal fabrication. He was a gentleman, well dressed and smoked cigarettes. He was not the type to shy away from medication and knew his way around machinery, as well as the woods. Most notably, he probably lived a normal life and had one big problem that required about 200K in cash to solve.

The Cooper Research Team - 2011
https://citizensleuths.com/summary.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Cooper_(comics)

Some quick observations:

1. The finding that the flight path and jump zone were reasonable is in stark contrast to the DPD/FBI "escape" path of Oswald which is provably bogus. This shows that the FBI had no dog in the Cooper case, but probably did in the case of LHO. In fact, releasing all of this material for a "citizen" investigation is in stark contrast to where we find ourselves.

2. The science used here seems far more exact than that used in tying Oswald to the assassination e.g. the fiber evidence (the tests used could only show the fibers found were similar to the blanket fibers. They did not prove they were the same) and the paraffin test. Not to mention the NAA.

3. In our way, we have followed the methodology by tearing apart various theories - including those used by the WC as facts. At the same time, we have pursued new evidence. Those two things have indeed given us a road map forward - at least insofar as a resolution at a personal level. Where we are stuck is in translating and transmitting that resolution to a wider audience to help force the issue with the proper authorities. 

Our problem is and always will be: this is the Kennedy case and it, and all who venture into are tarnished by 50 + years of media churning out crap and/or deliberate disinfo, aided and abetted by the obstructionist and appalling behavior of WC apologists and the rank stupidity and dissembling of the vast and omnipresent tin-foil hat brigade. 

Thank you for posting this, Stan. What is does for me is underline our achievements, despite the odds stacked against us from all sides.

Outstanding summary and conclusions Greg.
 
One quick impression I got from this is that the FBI wants to solve the D. B. Cooper case. Hence they open up their evidence to the public (e.g. make the tie available for analysis) and solicit their help. This is in stark contrast to the JFK case that they don't want to solve, i.e. they don't want to go certain places that might challenge the status quo. They are a part of a system that doesn't cooperate with public requests nor do they offer assistance.
 
Just consider the scale here: D. B. Cooper was just a man who hijacked a plane for $200K and no lives were lost. That's pretty much the extent of it. The FBI actively worked on this case for 45 years.
 
JFK was the duly elected leader of the free world who was killed in broad daylight as the whole world watched. Besides the murder itself, his removal thwarted the will of the people. And think of the massive opportunity cost and how the course of history was changed. For example: 50,000 young men were killed in the Viet Nam war (I personally knew two of them). One can make the case that most of these men might not have died had JFK lived and his NSAM-263 was allowed to stand. The FBI and the system they are a part of declared this case "cinched" almost immediately.
 
In terms of importance, the JFK assassination was Rigel or Betelgeuse and the D. B. Cooper hijacking was the moon. No comparison in the cases, but a different approach, a totally different, non-proportional, mindset for each.   
 
No, the system is not interested in solving this case beyond the pathetically weak explanations they have foisted upon us. And they currently have the power to resist all efforts that run contrary to the official narrative. But corrupt systems eventually crack and fail. The truth eventually comes out and becomes widely known. Always.

Likewise, the truth about the JFK assassination will eventually come out and become widely known. Just a matter of time. We are laying the groundwork for this.

Stan Dane wrote:Outstanding summary and conclusions Greg.
 
One quick impression I got from this is that the FBI wants to solve the D. B. Cooper case. Hence they open up their evidence to the public (e.g. make the tie available for analysis) and solicit their help. This is in stark contrast to the JFK case that they don't want to solve, i.e. they don't want to go certain places that might challenge the status quo. They are a part of a system that doesn't cooperate with public requests nor do they offer assistance.
 
Just consider the scale here: D. B. Cooper was just a man who hijacked a plane for $200K and no lives were lost. That's pretty much the extent of it. The FBI actively worked on this case for 45 years.
 
JFK was the duly elected leader of the free world who was killed in broad daylight as the whole world watched. Besides the murder itself, his removal thwarted the will of the people. And think of the massive opportunity cost and how the course of history was changed. For example: 50,000 young men were killed in the Viet Nam war (I personally knew two of them). One can make the case that most of these men might not have died had JFK lived and his NSAM-263 was allowed to stand. The FBI and the system they are a part of declared this case "cinched" almost immediately.
 
In terms of importance, the JFK assassination was Rigel or Betelgeuse and the D. B. Cooper hijacking was the moon. No comparison in the cases, but a different approach, a totally different, non-proportional, mindset for each.   
 
No, the system is not interested in solving this case beyond the pathetically weak explanations they have foisted upon us. And they currently have the power to resist all efforts that run contrary to the official narrative. But corrupt systems eventually crack and fail. The truth eventually comes out and becomes widely known. Always.

Likewise, the truth about the JFK assassination will eventually come out and become widely known. Just a matter of time. We are laying the groundwork for this.

Yep. 45 years spent on a non-violent crime.

Too bad hey didn't think to bring in some Dallas police and Henry Wade. Would have been wrapped up in no time.

And yes. If we don't get the case reopened, the next best thing is to lay out what we have clearly and concisely for others to pick up.

Stan/Greg,

If you haven't seen it - you guys should check out The Killing Season that was broadcast on A&E last year.  More amateur sleuthing involved on a broader scale.  This connected to unsolved serial murders in the United States.  The site WebSleuths attracts some incredible knowledgeable people on a wide range of topics.

Lee

The Prodigal Son wrote:Stan/Greg,

If you haven't seen it - you guys should check out The Killing Season that was broadcast on A&E last year.  More amateur sleuthing involved on a broader scale.  This connected to unsolved serial murders in the United States.  The site WebSleuths attracts some incredible knowledgeable people on a wide range of topics.

Lee

Thanks Lee, I searched for it online. A&E block me cos I'm not in the States. There are other sites where it can be watched, but for some reason the sound doesn't work.

I also checked out the websleuths site. Interesting. I like that they have a verified group of experts in various fields.