377

Anyone remember Sheridan "Pete" Peterson D2024? He built a wingsuit with (canvas?) wings and jumped it during the ban. I think he got into some hassle with the PCA or his jump club over it. The FBI thought he was DB Cooper and long long after the hijack came by to get a DNA swab from him. He had a pretty decent DB Cooper qualifed resume' but his DNA ruled him out I guess. Pete was a former USFS smoke jumper, skydiver with night jumps and a Marine WW2 combat vet. Pete worked in tech publications at Boeing when they rolled out the 727. Boeing had done flight tests with the rear stairs deployed but they were not publicized at all. When Cooper jumped very few knew that a 727 was jumpable. Air America did some test jumps (S/L) from a 727 over Thailand during the Viet Nam war. As far as I know 727 jumps didnt happen again until Don Kirlin got the idea for WFFC. Air America 727 jump film: http://www.dropzone.com/videos/Detailed/1130.html Pete looked a lot like the FBI Cooper sketch too. He had a huge grudge against the US Govt over atrocities against civilians. He had seen these atrocities in Viet Nam where he worked as a refugee specialist. The FBI has a partial DNA sample from Cooper's tie (left onboard the NWA 727). It's apparently not enough to ID Cooper, but it can rule out suspects who dont match. Pete is still kicking. In 1997 He made a jump in Beijing China at age 71. He is now 85 and lives in CA. http://www.smartvoter.org/2006/11/07/ca/sn/vote/peterson_s/paper3.html 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Hello, my name is 377 and I am a DBC-oholic. Where you went wrong was when you made your first click into this forum. You can leave, but there is no escape. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

No bites? If an unsleeved C9 canopy in an NB6 rig isnt such a hard pull then it increases the chance that Cooper was able to deploy his chute. Why did Cossey make such a big deal about the rig having a super hard pull (pull=ripcord handle force required to unseat the locking pins from the cones)? And the outboard pull ripcord handle orientation wasnt all that unusual. Look at photos of early piggyback rigs cobbed together from surplus components. Outboard facing right hand main handles werent so uncommon. Snow has found examples to show this. Cossey seems to like playing with people. Is it possible he BSd the FBI a bit about the rig that Cooper jumped? The Air America 727 jump films show that if you deploy right out of the plane (as with an S/L or a hop and pop) your round chute "squids" and decelerates rather smoothly. If Cooper pulled right off the stairs and landed on dry ground rather than a lake or river, he landed alive in my opinion. The quick deployment would minimize tumbling due to the stabilizing drogue effect of the deploying canopy. This lessens the chance of a no pull due to tumbling, disorientation and panic. What do any of you think about Sheridan Peterson as a suspect? The FBI ruled him out as soon as he provided a DNA sample. Before that he was interesting enough for them to visit his home and question him. "Pete" could definitely have done the jump. He had been a smoke jumper, was an accomplished skydiver and had made night jumps with round canopies. I've always thought that Cooper HAD to know that a 727 was jumpable. Pete was working in tech publications at Boeing when the 727 was rolled out. We KNOW Boeing did flight tests with deployed stairs. It came up when WFFC tried to get FAA approval for skydives from a 727. Very few people knew about those Boeing tests prior to Norjack. I have no evidence that Pete was Cooper, its just that among all the possible suspects he sure has one of the best matchups on needed skills and knowledge. His alibi was very hard to test. He claimed he was living in a mud hut in rural Nepal when Norjack took place. Pete looks a lot like the FBI Cooper sketches but so does Gossett, and probably many others too. He is an interesting guy, a USMC combat vet who is a peacenik and very anti military. He jumps right into the fray with war lovers on various blogs. I like him. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Welcome smokin 99! HP, Epson and Lexmark subsidize the DB Cooper forum. Kids these days dont even use printers but us old folks do, and we are wordy in our posts. Perfect combination for printhead sales. Its a Twitter and SMS world now, but not here. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310185888630 This rig is being sold for use as an approved emergency parachute. Can't have that hard a pull. It has been decades since I jumped surplus gear, but this container doesn't appear to have been extended to increase interior volume. Riggers, is this an unusual combo of container and canopy? 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Thanks for the training links G. I am gonna reduce my DNA ignorance straight away. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Robert, I agree with most of what you posted, but if the "sample" from the tie is so messed up as to be useless, why was Sheridan Peterson ruled out as a suspect after he gave the FBI a DNA sample? "Pete" was: founder of the Boeing skydive club worked at Boeing in tech pubs during the 727 rollout was an expert skydiver made many jumps on round military canopies made night jumps was a USFS smoke jumper in the Pacific NW jumped in Viet Nam as a civilian during the war ex Marine with heavy combat experience did unorthodox jumps such as batwing freefalls had a HUGE enduring grudge against the US Govt. witnessed US atrocities in Viet Nam etc... I did criminal defense work back in the 70s before DNA was much of forensic tool. Evidence was carefully collected and bagged to avoid contamination. Prosecutors often used blood flecks, tiny fiber samples and other non DNA evidence to convict. They didnt want the evidence contaminated by cops or crime lab techs. The tie might not be as corrupted as you think. Why are you so torqued about the spoof posts? It seemed obvious and harmless to me, but skydivers are known to have warped senses of humor and a compromised moral code. Jumped last Saturday. It is just as thrilling as it was 42 years ago. I never acclimate to it. Only $17 to 13,500 feet. Such a deal! 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Who knows what the FBI really has, but it sounds like they have partial DNA from a tie that they are sure was Cooper's. It isn't complete enough to match to any particular person but it does have enough unique genetic info to rule out someone who doesnt match. Prosecutors, knowing that crime often runs in families, use a controversial technique known as a familial DNA search. They take an unknown DNA speciemen and then look for a partial match with relatives who have criminal records and DNA samples and go from there. I know zero about genetics. Could this technique be used to find people who might be related to Cooper? Is the match universe too big for practical matching when the Cooper sample is partial? Experts please chime in here. Man, I wish they still had those cigarette butts that Cooper smoked. Maybe they do and they are withholding that info. It sure seems odd that they would lose such crucial evidence on such an important case. When prosecutors lose or destroy evidence (like the butts) that could be exculpatory, and the remaining evidence against a defendant is circumstantial, defense lawyers bring dismissal motions based on "spoliation of evidence" and they are sometimes granted. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals just held: "We hold that where a court has determined that there is probable cause to believe that the defendant committed a felony, the government’s interest in definitively determining the defendant’s identity outweighs the defendant’s privacy interest in giving a DNA sample as a condition of pretrial release in cases in which the government’s use of the DNA is limited to identification purposes and there is no indication that the government intends to use the information for any other purpose." No hearing, no conviction, no warrant. Wanna get bail? Gotta give DNA if requested. Broad expansion of police power. US v. Pool 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Duane's surprisingly elegant performance in the Ultra Lounge is followed by a woman covering Peggy Lee. The lights dim, the smokey haze coalesces into a nicotine cloud strata extending across the room as she sadly sings: "Is that all there is?" Yes Georger. What has this all been for indeed? 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo wrote: What you saw and heard from Duane is consistent with him wanting to be remembered as a big shot mastermind criminal, literally the top dog in his profession, by lying to you about being Cooper. Without unequivocal extrinsic tangible evidence connecting Duane with Norjack, you cannot rule that out Jo. I dont think you have bad motives, just a misguided quest started by a man you loved who was no stranger to lying and cheating. Duane's MO was far more consistent with being a sneaky non violent con man thief than a physical dare devil big time criminal innovator who threatend victims with extreme violence (as in "I have a bomb"). Still my mind is open. put Duane on da plane and I will eat crow for breakfast lunch and dinner. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

G wrote: I noticed the same thing anecdotally when I worked in a Public Defenders office back in the 70s. As one guy put it reflecting on a past record of repeated burglaries and arrests that seemed to stop when he hit his late 40s: "I don't do that shit no more, I just don't feel like it no more." He was being represented on a very minor soliciting for prostitution charge. He pitched a police hooker decoy. I got it dismissed by joking with the judge and prosecutor in chambers that we had clear proof of rehab from serious crime. "These days, he just wants to make love with cops, not break into houses. This isnt worth the time and cost to prosecute. There was no real harm done." It worked, not because of my advocacy skills, but because the court docket was clogged with more serious criminal cases. Cops will tell you about it too, the mellowing. It seems to be a real phenomena. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo, You really don't have one bit of TANGIBLE proof to support your theory. Every single piece of arguably relevant evidence is gone e.g: the ticket the bag the parking stub the "parachute hardware" etc. The prayer booklet has no provable link to Norjack. The same can be said about other suspects and their advocates, you are correct. Nobody has any solid tangible evidence. Maybe I am harder on your than I am on the others, but you invite it in some ways by your tenacity and your own fierce advocacy. No prosector could convict Duane on the evidence you have. A civil case has a lower standard of proof. The bank and the airline could never win a civil damages suit against Duane based on your evidence. One possible explanation for the lack of probative evidence is that Duane had nothing to do with Norjack... but that is a possibility that you stubbornly refuse to consider. 378 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo wrote: I have no secret motive Jo. At various times you've suspected me of being an author writing about Cooper, an FBI agent, etc. Georger has experienced the same scrutiny and suspicion. Everyone loves a mystery and this is a real whopper. I am really just a skydiver who has had an enduring interest in this case. Nothing more. As for my neutrality, why take sides? Why attack other forum posters personally? This is just the Internet. It isn't real life. So why expend a bunch of emotional energy here? I try to be decent and polite here. I dont always succeed, but that's my goal. I don't doubt the sincerity of your belief that Duane Weber was Dan Cooper. I just doubt the factual accuracy of that belief. You and I spar, but we never trade insults and never will. I used to feel bad about what i view as your obsession and thought it was a tragic waste of your remaining years. I now see things differently. It sustains you. It drives you. It keeps you vital. So keep searching Jo. It does no real harm and who knows what might turn up? Forever cordially, 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo wrote Uhhh... Judging by Duanes frequent arrests and convictions he's the last guy I'd take advice from on how to get away with a crime. Jo, if you do take a trip to the jump area first buy a car GPS. It will keep you from ever getting lost and it will show you a map with you centered in it. Learn how to use it well before your trip. Good ones are available for about $100 on sale. They have internal batteries and you can take them with you walking too. Jo and Georger being sweet to each other. What a blessing. If only Snow were here to demonstrate his capacity for change and redemption. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

RB wrote: Would you apply the same standard to those people who get things posted about them on bathrrom walls? If someone writes "for a good time call me, Suzie Smith at 111-111-1111, does that mean that Suzie needs to publish a disclaimer if it wasnt her who made the post? The SeaTac posts were obvious spoofs. Move along folks, nothing to see here... 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Let there be peace. Everyone here gets a few free passes for dumb posts, and RB just used one. I like having RB here even if he strayed a bit from the jumpers code which is: Innocent until proven guilty by: (a) at least 5 minutes of provably unaltered 8 mm movie film footage, (b) a non coerced confession with a contemporaneous clean drug and alcohol urine sample and, (c) eye witness sworn testimony from five FBI SACs. each of whom hold FAA Rigger-Examiner tickets and USPA D and PRO licenses and who have at least 200 round jumps or have jumped a Barish Sail Wing more than once. Lets get back to business. Business isnt taking shots at each other, it's trying to figure out who Dan Cooper was and what happened to him 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Farflung nails it every time. He has honed crass sarcasm to a fine edge. The cut is almost painless but the blood gushes freely. It's a pleasure having you here Farflung, hang in there. There are so many named suspects to choose from, but my bet is not one of them was Cooper. Snow actually found the best overall candidate, Eagle Eye Pete, if you judge by qualifications. He was a founding member of the Boeing Skydive Club, worked in tech documents at Boeing during the 727 rollout, spent time in Nam during the war as a refugee advisor, jumped with the Saigon jump club, witnessed horrible atrocities and devleoped a huge grudge against the US govt, was a USFS smokejumper in the Pacific NW, was allegedly living in a mud hut in Nepal (great alibi, hard to disprove) when Norjack took place, ex Marine with combat experience, night freefall experience, expert skydiver with lots of round canopy jumps, AND, Snow found some photos from the right period where he looks a LOT like the FBI Cooper sketch. Even with all that, it looks like he was not Cooper. The FBI ruled him out on a genetic sample which Pete voluntarily provided during an FBI visit to his home. I am keeping an open mind on everyone, even Duane and KC, but my bet is that none of our named suspects was actually Dan Cooper. Cooper's canopy is almost certainly out there. I know I've said it a hundred times but we need reminding. Its condition may tell us whether he survived the jump, but probably wont tell us anything about who he was. I've been a jumper for 42 years. I still jump and will be in the air this coming Saturday. I have jumped from a passenger jet (DC 9) and I've made many jumps under C9 surplus canopies. I DO think Cooper could have landed alive even if he was not an experienced jumper. All he needed to do was jump and pull. Sure the rig might have had a very hard pull, but Cossey wouldnt have packed an impossible pull. If Cooper tumbled and panicked then all bets are off, but DBC seemed like a guy who could handle high stress. Even in a tumble, if you exited with your hand on the ripcord handle and pulled it, you'd probably end up under an open canopy. The chances of a landing injury would have been high, C9s come down fast, but it wasnt a certainty that Cooper would be seriously injured during the landing. Snow has made a very convincing argument that Cooper could have survived the landing and walked out to civilization by pointing out that a Navy Corsair pilot did exactly that in December of 45 or thereabouts. Same general area, and a wintertime jump. It is laughable to me (and I bet to other jumpers as well) to see people say that Cooper actually landed right where he planned. The weather, visibility, speed, delay in lowering the stairs, timing etc made his exit point a pure gamble, not an accurately executed event. If he had an accomplice, a rendevous would have been very tough to pull off without two way radio gear and a line of sight comm path. Copper could easily have exited 20 miles or more from his intended LZ. The chances of his landing where he planned is close to zero. Somewhere, Cossey's canopy is awaiting discovery. If found, it will probably tell us if Cooper landed alive. I don't think the Amboy chute was Cooper's. Cossey would sure as hell know if it was and HE would have a rightful claim to ownership of a valuable historic artifact. I'd pay a few bucks for a piece of Cooper's canopy. The hot 20s on eBay were over my budget. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Sluggo doesn't have to respond to fake posts, PERIOD. He has no duty to repudiate or disclaim if he didn't write it. "Going public" on a dubious post is stupid, it just republishes defamatory info and widens the audience. Just ignore it. To me, it's obvious that someone is spoofing Sluggo, Jo and Snow on that SeaTac forum. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo wrote: Wearing a rig doesn't restrict the use of your hands. Imagine wearing a big backpack. It's not much different. You could easily cut lines, tie things etc. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo wrote: Jo, you have no hard evidence to support this claim. None. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Correct. No D rings, no Capewells. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Hang in there Robert. Ignore the vitriol. The Cooper hassle will be worth it if you solve the case or even if you don't. It's a HUGE crime mystery and who knows what your book might lead to. I don't think KC was DBC but I am keeping an open mind. I was at a swap meet yesterday and a guy was selling a water damaged surplus quad color C9 canopy and NB 8 container. He was a surplus dealer and didn't know anything about where the rig came from. It looked 100% stock military, even had an intact mil brochure about uses of a parachute for post landing survival in one interior pocket but the packing card pocket was empty. The rig had been wet but not submerged. It wasn't Cossey's rig, but you just never know what will turn up given enough time and a continuing public interest in the Cooper case. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

. Hey, every skydiver knows how to fall off a bar stool, It's an unwritten component of the qualifications for the D license. There are PLFs and the lesser known but more often practiced BLFs. Some skydivers have more of those bar drops logged than than they have jumps. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Was the 1946 Amboy canopy ripstop or twill? Just wondering when ripstop nylon was adopted for military canopies. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.