Youtuber Trevor Jacob Sentenced to Six Months in Jail for Plane Crash Video Stunt
Youtuber Trevor Jacob has been jailed for six months for deliberately crashing a plane for a video and obstructing a federal investigation by destroying the wreckage.
The 30-year-old former Olympic snowboarder, an experienced pilot and skydiver from California, published a video titled "I Crashed My Airplane" on December 23, 2021. The video, which received almost four million views, has since been removed from the site.
The video shows the plane supposedly suffering an engine failure over theLos Padres national forest in Santa Barbara county. Jacob, equipped with a parachute and a selfie stick, filmed himself parachuting to the ground, while the video also captured the plane plummeting.
After the crash, the US government alleges that Jacob went to the crash site and retrieved footage from the onboard cameras. The plea agreement reveals that the video was recorded as part of a product sponsorship deal, and Jacob never intended to complete the flight.
Additionally, it states that when Jacob initially informed investigators of the crash, he lied about not knowing the site of the wreckage. Later, on December 10, 2021, he cleared the wreckage via helicopter with a friend and subsequently cut up the remains, disposing of the parts in trash bins.
In April 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration revoked Jacob's pilot licence. Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to one felony count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation and has been sentenced to six months in jail.
