D. B. Cooper's Last Interview

Season 13, Episode 11

Release Date: November 17, 2025

Re-Imagined Radio presents "D.B. Cooper's Last Interview." A factual documentary with a fictional ending.

For the factual documentary we sample research and recordings of individuals investigating and reporting the hijacking of Nortwest Orient Airlines Flight 305, November 24, 1971, by a man called "D.B. Cooper." Cooper hijacked the airplane between Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington. He demanded and received $200,000 in ransom for the passengers and some of the flight crew. He escaped by parachuting from the airplane over Southwest Washington. Cooper has never been captured, or identified. The money has never been recovered.

What happened to D.B. Cooper?

Where is the money?

These questions linger.

For answers, and the fictional ending to this episode, we dramatize Tom Vandel's story "The Last Interview."

With this approach, Re-Imagined Radio explores the only unsolved case of passenger air piracy in U.S. history. "D.B. Cooper's Last Interview" offers closure without diminishing the power of this true crime mystery that has remained legendary for more than 50 years.

Original story, "The Last Interview," written and copyrighted by Tom Vandel (The Broken World, Tiny Road Books, 2021). Used by permission.

Episode written, produced, and hosted by John F. Barber

Original story "The Last Interview" by Tom Vandel
Sound Design, Music, and Post Production by Marc Rose
Promotional Graphics by Evan Leyden and Holly Slocum
Social media strategy by Caitlyn Kruger-Lesperance
Announcing and YouTube strategy by Rylan Eisenhauer

For more information, and the transcript, see the episode page at our website, https://www.reimaginedradio.fm/episodes/cooper-2025/index.html