FLYJACK

Huh, a large part from a 727 was found, it was from directly above the rear stairs door... not from NORJAK..

The plane was fairly empty so he had lots of seats to choose from. Later, the stews moved everybody further up toward the front. Hahneman first flew from NY to PA to hijack another plane he thought had a light passenger load and less chance of Air Marshals. Cooper may have selected 305 for the same reasons.. light passenger load and less likely to have Air Marshals.

Additional info.. The Hick's placard text "OPEN ACCESS DOOR",, the 727 internal emergency release instructions is to remove access door. It detaches completely. The exterior has an access door. Further, Northwest employees took the plane out 2 days after the hijacking to check out the pressure bump. They noticed decals had come off and speculated that they may have come off in a similar fashion with NORJAK. This doesn't make sense, if the decals came off during NORJAK they would have to be replaced in the two days to fall off again. That would have been noted and known. The plane was inspected in Reno and nobody noticed any missing decal.

He didn't have airstair knowledge, Tina showed him how to operate them. The FBI files note that exit instructions were sent to the plane.. Cooper had aviation knowledge, not 727 knowledge. The plane loaded in Portland via the rear airstairs, Cooper was the second to last to board. No indication who closed them but they are usually closed from outside by ground crew. Exit instructions were sent to the plane. Cooper opened the rear airstair and the plane landed with the door partially open and dragging.

Yes, there was a second emergency release on the exterior. NO, I haven't found the matching decal. 727, later version.

Warner needs to do his own homework... and stop cheating off others. Hick's "Marker" part number from FBI,, BAC27DPA152 (707, 727, 737), new number 1397VRW Dec 6 1978 FBI had the location of the "Marker" on a blueprint. January 19, 1979, "The FBI, however, said the placard, posted on the outside of the jetliner, could have dropped off almost any 727 that flew over southwest Washington during the past eight years." The FBI had the blueprint location of the placard.. They would not make that statement if they knew the "placard" came from inside the stairway. The 727 rear airstair panel decals without the earlier separate emergency system. This emergency system was built into the main lever. Hick's marker does not match the earlier interior 727 emergency system decals or the later ones.

Also, nothing was noted missing after inspecting the plane in Reno. But, the FBI files state that the plane was taken out two days after the hijacking to test the pressure bump and "decal(s)" went missing.. this appears to be a different event from the drop test in January. However, it could be another FBI reporting error...

Some early 727's had a separate optional emergency release system, that system was accessed via a removable access door with the two holes in the pic I posted, that marker does not match the Hicks placard, wrong shape, wrong text.. There was also an emergency release system on the outside of the 727.. The problem is these optional emergency release systems were removed from North American Commercial jets so it is extremely difficult to find an image of one.. to confirm. Later 727's and retrofitted early ones had the emergency release integrated into the main control handle. The newer emergency release does not match the Hick's placard type or text instructions.. I posted an image of the main control panel and it does not match either. There is nothing to indicate that Hick's placard "type" came from inside a 727. The FBI claimed it matched one located on the outside the aircraft and it could have come from any 727, they wouldn't say that if it came from inside. The ground crew also stated that they fall off in normal operating conditions.. why say that if from inside. While I can't confirm it came from outside (still looking), all the evidence indicates it was not located inside on the 727 unless we find some new evidence. Further, the Hick's placard may have come from a 737 with AFT AIRSTAIRS.. we don't know.

It isn't thick plastic, Hicks folded it and put it in his pocket.. the FBI refers to it as a decal,,, it was a thin plastic decal. The holes are strange though they couldn't have been to secure it. at 18.14 in video

It is not heavy plastic,, that is a media exaggeration. Those "holes" do not match any interior marker's either, they may have nothing to do with fastening the marker but are fasteners for something under it. You make a logical error. The part number lists a 707, 727 and 737.. if it was on another plane it may have been placed differently, the 737 had optional aft airstairs (side). Assuming that the Hicks placard only came from a 727 is an error which forces a false conclusion.

Not so fast. There is an exterior emergency release system on the 727.. The FBI docs and FBI media report say it came from outside of the aircraft.. FBI,, it could have come off any 727 plane. and the part number BAC27DPA152 is shown for a 707, 727 and 737... Anybody want to explain that? Remember, it states "AFT AIRSTAIRS" the 737 had an optional "AFT AIRSTAIR" the rear port side. Further, it doesn't match the interior "marker" for the 727 optional emergency release. They did use similar markers on the outside. It is consistent with the type on the outside of aircraft. Airline ground crew noted that they fall off all the time in normal conditions. 727 emergency release access door and marker. Has two finger holes in it. FBI walks back Cowlitz Sheriff claim. Example of exterior marker. Hicks Marker/727 panel/NORJAK panel open (STAIR CONTROL marker).. note the font is different on the Hicks marker. It is a later Boeing font. Example of an exterior marker 727

It is officially called a marker.. it does not match the internal 727 one on the emergency door. PMA Details BOEING BAC27DPA152 Part Number: 1397VRW Part Name: Marker-”Emergency Exit Handle” Replaced Part Number: Boeing BAC27DPA152 Approval basis: Identicality per FAR § 21.303(c)(4) Models: Boeing (707, 727, 737 series)

With the new placard information in the FBI docs, Eric Ulis is using pretzel logic to make it fit his sketchy alternative flightpath narrative. Background... the Cowlitz Sheriff claimed (assumed) the Hicks Placard was from the NORJAK plane, however the FBI soon walked that back, it came from the outside and could have come from another plane. They fall off all the time. Eric Ulis falsely claimed as a fact, the Hicks placard was from NORJAK. The new FBI doc confirmed that two placards were found. A second placard from behind the grassy knoll is in play. The Hicks placard found in Novemeber 1978 was part number BAC27DPA152 which came from the outside of the plane. BAC27DPA152 is listed for a 707, 727 and 737. The part number was updated to 1397VRW in 2001. NOTE, the placard states “AFT AIRSTAIRS” not ventral. aft airstairs can refer to either ventral or rear side built in airstairs. The 737 had an aft airstairs option (side rear). That “Hicks" placard could have come off any 727 or 737 on V-23… The font used for the Hicks placard is a later Boeing font, the part number may be the same but it is likely a later printing with the slightly updated Boeing font. That suggests it came off a plane after NORJAK. The other Placard was found May 2 1979 by a logger in North Skamania County which is far East of the flight path. There is no part number or ID given for this placard. July 31, 1979 ( Two Employees ) Northwest Orient Airlines, Minneapolis International Airport, was shown an airplane decal recovered in the State of Washington advised that there is a ninety-nine per cent chance that this decal came from the same aircraft hijacked by D. D. Cooper. _____ noted that the decals placed on the aircraft are red in lettering and that the one recovered in Washington and displayed to him appears to be more maroon. When the employees claimed a 99% chance they do not mean 305, they mean a 727.. (same aircraft). This is the nature of 302’s they aren’t facts they are summaries of interviews. Eric Ulis is spinning this to claim the Hick’s placard is 99% from NORJAK, the FBI files don’t say this, NOT EVEN CLOSE. First, they are referring to the second placard not Hicks and they have no way to determine which plane it came from. They are claiming that the placard shown is 99% consistent with the NWA 727 but we don't even have a description of that second placard. These placards fall off in normal operation according to NWA employees, there is no evidence that either one is confirmed from NORJAK. It is possible, but extremely unlikely. Takeaway.. FBI 302's are NOT facts, they are summaries of opinions. The Hick's placard part number matches a 707, 727 and 737. Placards fall off these planes in normal operation and there is no way to confirm which plane (or model) it came from.

Hahneman requested chutes, I can confirm the equipment came from Andrews AF base, but haven't confirmed the model. He was an air crewman in the US military. He landed in the Honduran jungle at night jumping from 9000 ft out the rear stairs of a 727. He sustained slight injuries and walked 10 miles to a road into a small town. He officially got $303,000. Four weeks later, he turned himself in after his identity was publicly revealed and being hunted by military and others in Honduras looking for the $25,000 reward. He consulted with friends and family before turning himself in, he requested to be brought back to the US. He could have stayed in Honduras as there was no extradition process at that time.

Of course, we as "amateur sleuths" aren't in a position to put somebody on the plane, the FBI couldn't even do it. But, there are two standards to this case, the "legal" standard and the "public" standard. The FBI's role was to bring a case to the Prosecutor not to publicly solve it. We don't even know if they ever did or not. IMO, there is only one way for a 100% solve and that is a real long shot.. Present a suspect so compelling that the FBI does a NEW modern DNA test on the tie and compares to relatives. Hahneman died before the DNA stuff and it currently isn't good enough for familial analysis.. I said it before, the case for Hahneman is by far the best I have ever seen by a long shot, a perfect match, short of the forensics which we have no control over. The fact that he was erroneously branded a copycat, he was investigated for years, his name is unnecessarily redacted in FBI files, he is a perfect match for Cooper, my FOIA battle and nobody (besides me) knows really anything about him suggest that he was a serious suspect who was never eliminated and the FBI wants to hide him from public scrutiny. We have lots of info on McCoy and Rackstraw, nothing on Hahneman yet he is a far better fit for Cooper. How can we have somebody who matches the Cooper description and profile near perfectly, committed a virtually identical hijacking and know nothing about him from the FBI or media?? and, if you read the FBI files it is noted in the 70's that witness memories were already fading...

The FBI investigated Hahneman for years (at least) after he was caught for his hijacking. That indicates his whereabouts Nov 25/71 could not be determined and the FBI was not entirely convinced the prints were from Cooper. McCoy's prints did not match and they continued to investigate him, Calame and Rhodes still think he was Cooper. Rackstraw's fingerprints did not match and they continued to investigate and pursue his palm prints. Logically, matching the prints would include but not matching does not exclude. The eight unidentified partial prints are not confirmed to be Cooper's.

I do know the circumstances and timeframe. He hijacked a (US) 727 May 5 1972, jumped from the rear airstairs with a ransom into the Honduran jungle at night, the plane was directed to Mexico then looped over Honduras landing back in Mexico. He turned himself in 4 weeks later and was in US custody from June 1972 till September 1972 when he plead guilty for reduced charges (deal) then serving Federal time until 1984 for the May 5 hijacking. He was available for the Cooper hijacking timeframe. I have tracked many of his movements between December 1971 and May 5 1972. He was a loner and estranged from his family in PA for many years. His name is redacted in the FBI files,, why, he died in 1991, there is no privacy concern. and oddly the BOP had spelled his first name wrong with a record stating he was in custody until 1991. He has always been labelled a Cooper copycat but a US official in Honduras at the time stated that Hahneman had planned his hijacking for years.

Ran into something very strange,, Tried a BOP lookup for Hahneman, couldn't find him, he was in Federal prison from 1972-1984.. Paroled and discharged in 1984. Turns out his named was misspelled in the DOP database but I found it trying different spellings. The record showed he was released in 1991, just before he died. This doesn't make sense. I ran a FOIA request and was told they have no record of him. I pointed out the misspelled name and they re-iterated NO RECORD. Destroyed after 10 years??

Suspect elimination is mostly subjective unless the person's location during NORJAK was confirmed. Bernie Rhodes and Russell Calame claimed McCoy was Cooper but his prints did not match the NORJAK prints. They claim that the unidentified NORJAK prints are not confirmed as Cooper. and.. The Raleigh cigarettes were checked for prints and none found.

One thing I noticed,, The FBI docs names the suspects they have investigated who have died since.. Rackstraw, McCoy, Coffelt and others... Sheridan Peterson's name is redacted as he is still alive. Hahneman is redacted but he died almost 30 years ago. What are the redaction policies,, one is privacy. A dead person does not fall under the privacy provision. So, why redact a dead person?? EDIT: here they are.. so why Hahneman? A. Could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings; B. Would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication; C. Could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy; D. Could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of confidential source, including a state, local, or foreign agency or authority or any private institution that furnished information on a confidential basis, and, in the case of a record or information compiled by a criminal law enforcement authority in the course of a criminal investigation or by an agency conducting a lawful national security intelligence investigation, information furnished by a confidential source; E. Would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law, or; F. Could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety or any individual.

Actually, nobody is really eliminated.. The FBI files state that some suspects who were eliminated were later un-eliminated. Elimination for many suspects was subjective. So, elimination by the FBI wasn't really conclusive.. BTW,, I found no indication Hahneman was ever eliminated. He was investigated years after he was in custody.

yes, she could be innocent, it is just a theory.. everyone has considered it but been afraid to bring up this glaringly obvious theory. The dredge theory seems to be the dominant one but I can't imagine the money going through a suction dredge and landing in its condition with rubber band fragments attached. Additionally, how did the money get into the river in the first place. Tosaw speculated that Cooper landed in the Columbia and the TBAR money was the money he offered the stews but put in his coat pocket. But, you have to move the LZ.. Washougal has been debunked, Cooper landing near TBAR and burying it is extremely speculative nonsense. Most likely, the money came from the river.. how did it get there within the parameters of known evidence. Another thing that is interesting is that 20 bills were missing from one packet.. were they deteriorated and just not found or were they removed before the money was deposited?? Clearly, the claim that the rubber bands were "intact" is false and misleading, the edges of the bills/packets were significantly eroded. If the bills were removed before the money arrived that suggests human intervention.. and perhaps somebody spent them. It would be risky and the money would have become a liability. If the 3 packets were banded into a single bundle then 20 bills removed from one it would still maintain the integrity of the bundle.. toss it in the river upstream and it lands on TBAR, consistent with river flow. Rubber bands deteriorate/break and the 3 packets separate slightly exactly as found with rubber band frags attached top and bottom not sides. BTW.. 1 packet of 100 bills is about 1/2" thick.. 3 packets = 1.5" thick

It is a good theory compared to the other TBAR theories. It is simple and plausible with some supporting evidence, it fits all the evidence. It does not support any specific suspect. The other theories are pure speculation and most require a contortion of the evidence. Look at this theory in context. The other two I like.. Massive Clamshell dredge and barge operation for erosion mitigation program in 76/77 for Sauvie Island. Cooper loses money in Lewis, it ends up in Columbia and is transported upstream. Some money fell off the stairs as the plane crossed the Columbia.

Finding 3 packets of ransom money on TBAR in 1980 was unlikely, but it happened. Tina's story about asking for some money then returning it because of a tip policy is sketchy. The other stews were offered ransom money later as they left. Tina was alone with the hijacker. Tina looked very sheepish, head down in Reno video. Flo stated that she believes Tina is hiding something. Tina's post hijacking behaviour was odd. Flo's and Tina's Cooper descriptions vary.. why? The only ransom money we know of that was separated from the bag was pulled out by Cooper for the stews. It is reasonable that most likely these packets somehow ended up at TBAR. Tina was the #1 go to witness for the FBI, if she was compromised the case was doomed. We have all the elements of a good theory for the TBAR money. After 50 years of theories I have heard most of them and this one ranks in the top three. It is the simplest and most plausible.

The ongoing disinformation innuendo campaign by Georger aka J R Warner... "FLYJAK operates in a similar atmosphere of 'suspicion' alleging ties between his suspect and Tina Mucklow going clear back to when Mucklow was in highschool!" This lie keeps getting repeated.. The facts.. Hahneman lived about 50 miles from Tina in PA.. (Hahneman had no accent) Hahneman's brother had a bank account 9 miles from Tina's school. I found no connection between them, NONE. I have not alleged a tie, to claim that is a lie. further,, Tina handled some ransom money. Tina lived a few miles upstream of TBAR in the late 70's. 3 packets were found at TBAR. It would be irrational to not develop the theory that Tina may have kept some ransom money and discarded it later.