D.B. Cooper: The Unsolved Cold War Aircraft Hijack (421)

Cold War Conversations Podcast

Ian Sanders

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.8 • 758 Ratings

🗓️ 12 September 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On November 24, 1971, a man using the alias Dan Cooper hijacked a Northwest Airlines flight, demanding a ransom of $200,000 and four parachutes. What followed was a daring escape that has left investigators and enthusiasts puzzled for over five decades. I sit down with Pat Boland, a true crime aficionado and expert on the D.B. Cooper case. Boland shares her deep dive into the many theories surrounding this infamous hijacking, which remains the only unsolved case of its kind in U.S. history. She recounts the events of that fateful day, painting a vivid picture of Cooper's calm demeanour and meticulous planning. Throughout the episode, Boland also delves into the forensic evidence—or lack thereof—that has hampered the investigation. From the infamous black tie Cooper left behind to the money discovered years later by a boy on the Columbia River, the clues are tantalizing yet frustratingly inconclusive. Want to learn more? Pat Boland Blog Pat Boland on Twitter DB Cooper Facebook Group Episode extras ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode421/ Live Podcast in London https://coldwarconversations.com/live/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Love history? Join Intohistory ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:06.3	I will be doing a live podcast at the Imperial War Museum in London on the 1st of November.
0:12.8	Be great to see you there. More details at cold warconversations.com slash live.
0:19.1	Now on with your episode.
0:22.1	In 1968, one of the CIA-owned airlines tested dropping men out of his Boeing 727.
0:32.7	And when D.B. Cooper hijacked the 727, he gave the same flight configurations as them.
0:42.3	This is Cold War Conversations.
0:45.8	If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to Cold War history.
0:50.3	Please make sure you follow us in your podcast app so you don't miss future episodes.
0:55.1	On November the 24th, 1971, a man using the alias Dan Cooper, hijacked a Northwest Airlines flight
1:02.5	demanding a ransom of $200,000 and four parishes. What followed was a daring escape that
1:09.0	has left investigators and enthusiasts puzzled over five decades.
1:13.8	I sit with Pat Boland, a true crime aficionado and expert on the D.B. Cooper case.
1:19.6	Boland shares her deep dive into the many theories surrounding this infamous hijacking,
1:24.4	which remains the only unsolved case of its kind in US history. She recounts the events
1:30.1	of that fateful day painting a vivid picture of Cooper's calm demeanour and meticulous planning.
1:36.5	I'm delighted to welcome Pat Boland to our Cold War conversation. The story we're going to get
1:42.4	into today has intrigued me for some time, and it's
1:46.9	great to get somebody on who we can really get down into the weeds about this story. Pat,
1:53.2	could you just start by explaining who you are and how you got interested in the DB Cooper mystery?
2:01.0	Well, it's the only unsolved hijacking in U.S. history of an airplane.
2:07.1	I'm old enough that I actually remember when D.B. Cooper jumped out of the airplane in
	...

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