Martin McNally, inspired by the D.B. Cooper hijacking, seized American Airlines Flight 119 in June 1972, demanded $500,000 and parachutes, and jumped from a Boeing 727. His reserve chute struck him and the duffel with roughly $502,000 tore away; he was arrested five days later with $13. Sentenced to two life terms, he spent nearly 40 years in federal prison before parole in 2010. Now 81 and featured in the documentary American Skyjacker, McNally expresses remorse and warns others against crime.
At 28 He Hijacked a 727, Parachuted Away With $500K — Now 81 He Calls It ‘Insane’
Art Phillips; Pegalo PicturesAmerican Airlines Flight 119; Martin McNally at 28
Martin McNally says one reckless decision in 1972 cost him nearly four decades of his life. Inspired by the D.B. Cooper mystery, the 28-year-old ex‑sailor seized American Airlines Flight 119, demanded $500,000 and parachutes, and leapt from the rear of a Boeing 727 over Indiana with a bag of cash strapped to his waist.
Pegalo PicturesMartin McNally's 1972 mugshot.
The Jump and the Loss
McNally had never used a parachute before. Seconds after jumping from the speeding jet, he was tumbling through the pre-dawn sky. The reserve chute the FBI provided to meet his demand deployed awkwardly, striking his head and leaving him bloodied. Worse, the duffel containing roughly $502,000 ripped free and vanished into the darkness.
Pegalo PicturesMartin McNally in an undated photo taken during his nearly four decades in prison.
“I couldn’t believe it. I was screaming and hollering, ‘The money’s gone!’ It’s the first and only time I ever thought about suicide,” McNally later recalled.
Capture, Conviction and Prison
McNally was arrested five days after the hijacking with only $13 on his person. Convicted of air piracy and related charges, he received two life sentences and spent nearly 40 years in federal custody before being paroled in 2010. During his incarceration he was tied to a failed escape plot involving a hijacked helicopter that resulted in the death of Barbara Oswald and briefly implicated her daughter; McNally says he remains haunted by that episode.
Kooris / ShafferMartin McNally in a still from the documentary "American Skyjacker".
Reflection and Redemption
Now 81 and profiled in the documentary American Skyjacker, McNally expresses clear remorse: “It was insane. I was stupid. I should have never done it.” He says prison gave him time to reflect and that his life since parole has been quiet — caring for family members, living with two cats, and avoiding any new run-ins with the law.
Asked what advice he’d give others tempted by quick crime, McNally is blunt: “Forget about that nonsense. You’re not gonna get away with it, especially nowadays. Get an education, stay clean, and get a decent job.”
Why It Matters
McNally’s story captures a turbulent era in U.S. aviation history — the so‑called “Golden Age” of skyjacking — and serves as a cautionary tale about impulsive crimes, the long reach of the justice system, and the human cost of chasing fast money.
Help us improve.
