> At a Glance
> – Martin McNally, 81, hijacked American Airlines Flight 119 in 1972, demanding $502,000 and parachutes
> – He lost the cash mid-air during his escape jump and was caught five days later
> – After nearly 40 years in prison, he calls the crime “insane” and warns others: “Forget about that nonsense”
> – Why it matters: His story is a cautionary tale of how one desperate act can derail an entire life
In the pre-dawn darkness of June 23, 1972, a 28-year-old Navy vet named Martin McNally leapt from the tail of a Boeing 727 over Indiana-triggering one of the most botched skyjackings of the era and a lifetime behind bars.
The Hijacking
McNally boarded the St. Louis-to-Oklahoma City flight armed with a sawed-off .45 rifle, smoke bombs, and a fake identity. After forcing the plane back to Missouri so the FBI could gather $502,000, he released all but one hostage and ordered a new crew to head north toward Canada.
At 300 mph and 10,000 ft, he jumped-never having used a parachute. The cash tore away in the slipstream; only $13 was ever recovered.
> McNally recalls:
> “I was screaming, ‘The money’s gone!’ It’s the first and only time I ever thought about suicide.”
Capture and Aftermath
Police nabbed him five days later. A federal court handed down two life sentences for air piracy. Behind bars he joined an escape plot that ended with Barbara Oswald-a mother who had hijacked a helicopter to free another inmate-fatally shot by her kidnapped pilot.
> “We were scamming them,” McNally says. “That’s why I’m telling my story-to rehabilitate Barbara and Robin. Neither were criminally inclined.”
Released in 2010 after nearly four decades, McNally now lives quietly, caring for his sister’s 93-year-old mother-in-law and two cats. He even befriended a stewardess from the hijacked flight.
Key Takeaways
- Golden Age skyjacking: Over 300 U.S. jets were seized from 1968-72, prompting today’s airport security
- Documentary spotlight: His life is chronicled in American Skyjacker on Amazon Prime and Apple TV
- Lesson learned: “Get an education, stay clean, and get a decent job,” he advises would-be outlaws
Looking back, the 81-year-old sums it up bluntly: “I threw my life away for a bunch of paper.”
