76: Dark Secrets pt.1: Sky Pirate

Grant Thomas
Oct 23, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Aug 6

Fasten your seatbelts and stow those tray tables, Grant’s taking us on the most infamous unsolved hijacking in U.S. history. In a classic Well, I Laughed episode, we ping-pong from bourbon-sipping sky-jackers and 1970s airport chaos to Maya’s righteous feminist rage and a Rolling Stone deep-dive on the only woman who spent the night with “D. B. Cooper.” You’ll leave knowing why this case still fuels Reddit threads, how cadaver dogs, clip-on ties, and $20 bills connect, and why Tina Mucklow deserves way more flowers than the internet’s given her. Plus, we compare the prime suspects, roast the FBI’s “Nor-Jack” blunders, and learn what Time magazine once told passengers to do if their flight got hijacked. Grab your in-flight cocktail, Dark Secrets kicks off with our very own Sky Pirate!

Chapters/Key takeaways to listen for

[00:05:03] Coffee-shop Chaos & Conspiracies: A lazy “city-girl” day off turns upside-down when Grant’s barber ties P-Diddy, baby-oil, and Beyoncé into one eyebrow-raising theory
[00:07:25] Hurricane Witchcraft Controversy: Maia’s late-night TikTok comment about hurricane holy oil sparks 24 hours of DM backlash
[00:25:10] Sky Pirate: The detailed true crime story starts with Dan Cooper boarding a flight from Portland to Seattle, demanding $200,000 and parachutes, setting up an elaborate hijacking plan
[01:02:00] Dramatic Plane Negotiations: Cooper exchanges passengers for money and parachutes, insisting on specific flight conditions like low altitude and a descending rear staircase
[01:31:00] Suspect Profiles: The FBI investigates multiple suspects including Richard McCoy and Kenneth Christensen, but cannot definitively identify Dan Cooper
[02:00:44] Tina Mucklow Speaks: The 22-year-old flight attendant who faced Cooper alone explains faith, fear, and why “No means no” to arm-chair sleuths
[02:28:00] Unresolved Mystery: The FBI officially closed the case in 2016, leaving Dan Cooper's fate unknown, whether he survived the jump remains an unsolved mystery

Photos Referenced:

*Composite of D.B. Cooper - courtesy of the Oregonian FIles*

Boeing 727 with the rear staircase	Ariel, WA - courtesy of TownMapUSA.com
The Ariel Store and Tavern in Washington - courtesy of the BBC	Clip on tie left behind by D.B. Cooper - courtesy of the FBI

*FBI Evidence photo of the recovered 20 dollar bills - courtesy of the FBI*

Quotes:

“That doesn't mean you're like, failing or struggling. Life's just hard.” - Grant Thomas
“The idea of being at 100% is a myth."- Grant Thomas
"I think everyone would benefit from a little bullying and a little depression. I'm absolutely kidding, but not really." - Maia Warner

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