It may be another 40 years before before the FBI solves the D.B. Cooper caper, but federal agents aren’t willing to give up.

Back in 1971, a man who bought a ticket under the name Dan Cooper hijacked a plane flying from Portland to Seattle and demanded a flight to Mexico, four parachutes – and $200,000.

Cooper bailed out somewhere over southwest Washington – and disappeared. Along with most all of that money.

All these years, the FBI has following leads but has been unable to crack the case. Now they’re giving it another try.

According to a story on msnbc.com,

The latest lead in the case originated with a source in law enforcement, who directed agents to a person who was close to the suspect and obtained objects now being analyzed to see if they bear fingerprints matching those left by the hijacker on the plane…

The suspect has been dead quite a while, but it would nice to put this unsolved mystery to rest.

Or would it?

If the case was solved, then the folks who gather every year at a bar in Ariel, Washington for their annual party in honor of Cooper would have to find something else to drink to.

Take a listen to my story about the party, “Whatever happened to DB Cooper” that aired a few years back on National Public Radio. There are some intriguing theories floating around out there….

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