November 24 in American History

November 24, 1971 — the D.B. Cooper skyjacking

A man calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727 over the Pacific Northwest, collected $200,000 in ransom, and parachuted out the back of the plane into the night. He was never found. It remains the only unsolved air piracy in American history — an enduring folk mystery.

Common Questions

What happened on November 24 in American history?

In 1971: the D.B. Cooper skyjacking. A man calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727 over the Pacific Northwest, collected $200,000 in ransom, and parachuted out the back of the plane into the night.

Why is November 24 significant?

A man calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727 over the Pacific Northwest, collected $200,000 in ransom, and parachuted out the back of the plane into the night. He was never found. It remains the only unsolved air piracy in American history — an enduring folk mystery.

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