Trevor Daniel Jacob, a 30-year-old YouTuber and experienced pilot, was sentenced on Monday, December 4, 2023, to six months in federal prison after orchestrating a staged plane crash in California. The antic was part of an attempt to create a sensational YouTube video, a decision that has now led to serious legal consequences.
On November 24, 2021, Jacob, known for his daring online content, carried out a stunt over the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County, California.
The controversial video, titled “I Crashed My Airplane,” was uploaded in December 2021. It depicted what appeared to be an engine failure in Jacob’s small plane. Equipped with a parachute and a selfie stick camera, Jacob recorded himself jumping out of the plane. The descent and crash were captured on multiple cameras mounted on the plane and the handheld device he carried.
Jacob’s actions were motivated by a sponsorship deal to promote a company’s product in the video. It was revealed during the investigation that he had never intended to complete the flight.
Following the crash, Jacob misled federal investigators about the location of the wreckage, leading to a cover-up. He and a friend later returned to the crash site with a helicopter, retrieved the wreckage, and disposed of the plane parts in various trash bins.
The reckless behavior led to the revocation of Jacob’s pilot license by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2022. In June 2023, Jacob pleaded guilty to obstructing a federal investigation by deliberately destroying the wreckage after the incident.