D.B. Cooper Day – Nov. 24, 2026

Expected D.B. Cooper Day Deals

While no major retailers typically run D.B. Cooper-specific promotions, the spirit of mystery and adventure inspires unique offerings. Look for independent bookstores to feature true crime sections, including titles like ‘The Last Master Outlaw’ by Bryan Burrough or ‘D.B. Cooper: The Real Story’ by Billy Jensen. Online retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble may offer discounts on related documentaries or historical accounts. Local businesses in Ariel, Washington, where a festival is held, might have themed merchandise or specials. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as November 24 approaches.

History of D.B. Cooper Day

On November 24, 1971, a man who identified himself as Dan Cooper (a.k.a. D. B. Cooper) bought a one-way $20 ticket for Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305. He was in his mid-40s, six feet tall, and dressed in a suit, trench coat, and loafers. He also carried a briefcase. Once the plane had taken off, he passed a note to a flight attendant Florence Schaffner, informing her that he was carrying a bomb and the plane was being hijacked. He opened his briefcase to show Schaffner the bomb, which appeared to be a collection of wires, red sticks, and a battery. 

In a subsequent note, he demanded that once the plane landed in Seattle, he should be given $200,000 in $20 bills, two parachutes. He also wanted the aircraft to be refueled for subsequent takeoff. Upon landing in Seattle, 36 passengers were evacuated, and his demands were fulfilled. While the plane was refueled, he forced two pilots, a flight engineer, and a flight attendant, to remain on board. He ordered them to fly the aircraft to Mexico City, going under 10,000 feet at a speed slower than 200 knots. Mid-flight, over what is believed to be Ariel, Washington, he parachuted off the aircraft into the night, never to be seen again. 

The case almost instantly took over the nation. There were 800 suspects brought in during the first five years of Investigation NORJAK (Northwest Hijacking), but nearly all were cleared. The FBI initially thought he could’ve had a military past but quickly eliminated that theory considering D. B. Cooper’s poorly thought out and dangerous escape plan. With little to no advancement over the years, the investigation was eventually called off to put resources to better use. This remains the FBI’s only unsolved air piracy case.

Originating in Ariel, Washington, where he is believed to have disappeared, the anniversary of the hijacking is observed as D. B. Cooper Day, in remembrance of this mystery.

How Businesses Can Celebrate D.B. Cooper Day