In April 1972, an ordinary passenger flight became the stage for a dramatic airborne heist when a man hijacked United Airlines Flight 855 and parachuted into obscurity mid-air. This event captured the attention of the nation, echoed the earlier legend of D.B. Cooper, and triggered a manhunt that revealed chilling planning and audacity. Understanding this hijacking sheds light on aviation security in the early 1970s, the psychology of the hijacker, and how such incidents changed air travel forever.
Flight 855 Takes Off
On April 7, 1972, United Airlines Flight 855, a Boeing 727, departed Newark, New Jersey, bound for Los Angeles, California, with 85 passengers and a crew of six. Following a brief stopover in Denver, the flight resumed late in the afternoon. Around 5:18 pm, a passenger brandished a hand grenade, prompting a flight attendant to alert the cockpit. An off-duty pilot on board was asked to evaluate the threat, but the hijacker responded by revealing a pistol. He handed a detailed note labeled hijack instructions to the stewardess, instructing her to deliver it to the captain.
Hijacker’s Demands and Parachute Escape
The note demanded $500,000 in cash, four parachutes, and a specific landing location. To the passengers, the hijacking appeared sudden and secretive. The captain was told to pretend a mechanical problem and land the plane in Grand Junction, Colorado. Afterward, they were to fly on to San Francisco, where the demands would be met again using subterfuge to obscure the hijack’s true nature.
United Airlines arranged for the ransom money and parachutes to be delivered in San Francisco. Once the aircraft refueled and passengers were released, the hijacker kept the remaining crew on board and ordered the plane westward. Mid-flight over Utah, he opened the Boeing 727’s aft staircase and jumped out with the ransom into the night.
Chase and Identification
When the plane landed, investigators found a parachute pack near Provo, Utah the likely drop point. A motorist had spotted a man wearing a jumpsuit carrying a bag near a restaurant, leading the FBI to a tip. That man turned out to be Richard Floyd McCoy Jr., a former Vietnam helicopter pilot and an aviation expert who had been serving in the Utah National Guard.
Investigators also traced handwritten hijack instructions back to McCoy by matching handwriting and fingerprints found on in-flight materials. A milkshake purchase and a hitchhiking sighting helped confirm his identity.
Arrest, Trial, and Prison Escape
McCoy was arrested twice after landing at his home in Provo, Utah. Authorities found nearly $500,000 in cash, a skydiving helmet, jumpsuit, and weapons in his residence. He was charged with aircraft piracy and received a 45-year prison sentence in mid-1972.
Notably, in August 1974, he escaped from Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary using a makeshift gun made from dental paste and a hijacked garbage truck. He remained at large until November 1974, when an FBI standoff at his Virginia Beach home resulted in his death.
Mirroring D.B. Cooper
McCoy’s hijackeer bore striking resemblance to the unsolved 1971 D.B. Cooper case. Both hijacked Boeing 727s, demanded ransoms and parachutes, and escaped mid-flight via the aft staircase. The FBI initially discounted their connection, but speculation and conspiracy theories persisted. Some even propose that McCoy and D.B. Cooper were the same person though evidence remains inconclusive.
Impact on Aviation Security
The Flight 855 hijacking and several others triggered significant aviation security reforms. In the early 1970s, hijackings were frequent, averaging more than one per week in the U.S. Airports, initially lax, began implementing strict security screening. Metal detectors and X-rays became standard by 1973, as airlines and governments worked to prevent future incidents.
Why Flight 855 Stands Out
- Daring escape: Parachuting from a jetliner mid-flight was uncommon and dangerous.
- Clever planning: McCoy’s military background and jump training aided his planning.
- Strong evidence: Physical clues and eyewitness accounts quickly tied McCoy to the crime.
- Security shift: Incidents like this directly led to modern airport security that we know today.
Lessons Learned
United Flight 855 showed how seriously air travel could be threatened when hijackers exploited aircraft design (like the 727’s rear staircase) and airline procedures. It underscored the need for rapid intelligence gathering and coordinated law enforcement response. The incident also highlighted that even skilled criminals made mistakes like leaving fingerprints and handwriting behind.
The hijacking of United Airlines Flight 855 by Richard McCoy Jr. remains one of the most remarkable skyjackings in U.S. history. It echoed the legend of D.B. Cooper, had dramatic flair, and ended with a swift arrest aided by meticulous investigation. More importantly, it served as a catalyst for sweeping changes in aviation security. From hijacker boarding control to checked baggage protocols, the safeguards introduced in response to such events continue to protect air travelers around the globe. Flight 855 stands as a historical warning and a marker of how far airline security has come.