http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/plane_crash_mystery just in haha what i dont understand is why run to fla. edit: ah makes sense if he was flying florida he crashed in florida right... so he was fleeing florida they caught him in the northern area so he was heading to mex probably thats sick to he just left his plain on autopilot ..... imagine if it had crashed into a house a taken out a family... makes you wonder what type of person would actually do something like this. so uncaringly leave his plain on autopilot not care where it goes steal peoples retirement money and everything else and probably more god knows what they dont even know about yet.
In order to fake your death in a plane crash, it's best to crash on the water. Out in the Gulf of Mexico would have been the place since finding the plane would have been near impossible. Then you need an accomplice to pick you up in a boat or be a real good swimmer. An inflatable raft would come in handy. Takes a little logistics to get it right. Then have an alternate identity stashed in a safe place and move on with life. Not too hard to figure out just have to have some real balls to land a plane on the water.
He was smarter than Schrenker. Simpler plan, easier to execute, and there is a small chance that he actually jumped (although I don't believe so). Body in the water can disappear for forever...
Parachute from 5k feet into water? What are you a SEAL or something? lol You will need equipment and should drop that bag close to where you want to land. Plus there will be a parachute floating on the water when they come looking for you and will be easier to spot. You have to think ahead man or you will get caught.
Here is how I would do a D.B. Cooper: To be less obvious, I would schedule my flight as a business trip or some family going, not just "oh I was just flying around and disappeared". It helps if you have family or business in Florida... I leave in the plane 30 mins fuel and jump just before the plane leaves the shoreline on autopilot. The idea is that I want to land on dry land, but I want the plane to disappear over open water and hopefully sink fast (tearing up a few not obvious holes can help) . But I don't want it to cruise for hours, because that could alert the coastguard. The weather should be bad, it gives an excuse why I lost control and searcher will have a harder time to locate the plane. The best result is if the plane never found or if so, there is a high probability that I either drown in the ocean or was eaten by sharks... There you have it, now go and practice...