In the prologue of fourth season episode The Ones You Love, Artie Nielson is interrupted by his nemesis Brother Adrian, who has (apparently) suddenly materialized in the Warehouse, smugly displaying this artifact, the rip cord of the parachute worn by aircraft hijacker D.B. Cooper. Although the precise effects of this artifact aren't stated, it presumably assists with infiltration and escape scenarios.
"Dan Cooper" hijacked a Boeing 727 bound for Seattle from Portland on 24 November 1971, claiming to have a bomb. On landing in Seattle, he extorted $200,000 and 4 parachutes in exchange for the passengers and some of the crew, who he released unharmed. Cooper then had the craft take off again and head south with very specific altitude and airspeed instructions for the pilot. Somewhere over SW Washington or NW Oregon, Cooper parachuted from the aft door of the aircraft to an unknown fate. Despite decades of search and speculation, only a few fragmentary material clues have turned up in the search for this man, who the media erroneously dubbed "D.B. Cooper" after a Portland man with that name was briefly questioned at the start of the investigation.
After this uniquely bold and apparently successful stunt, aircraft hijackings briefly skyrocketed, with 15 copycat attempts in 1972 (all unsuccessful). The uptick was short-lived, as skyjacking attempts dropping precipitously the very next year with the advent of universal luggage screening.
Authentic metal parachute rip cord.
From VIP Fan Auctions & NBCUniversal.
