YouTuber Trevor Jacob: YouTuber lands in jail for staging plane crash in Californiaworld news
A YouTuber, Trevor D. Jacob, known for staging a dramatic plane crash in Southern California to boost his online presence, has been sentenced to six months in prison for obstructing the investigation into the crash by destroying the wreckage. The sentencing follows Jacob’s guilty plea in June to one count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation.
The incident occurred in November 2021 when Jacob, a former snowboarding Olympian turned YouTuber, intentionally crashed his small plane, a 1940 Taylorcraft, while recording the event for his YouTubechannel.The video, titled “I Crashed My Airplane,” showcased Jacob ejecting from the plane with aselfie stick in hand and parachuting into the Los Padres National Forest. The video garnered millions of views before being removed from YouTube.
In the aftermath of the staged crash, Jacob misled investigators by falsely claiming the plane had experienced a full loss of power. He also lied about not knowing the location of the crash site. Further hindering the investigation, Jacob, with the help of a friend, removed the wreckage from the forest using a helicopter, cut it into small pieces, and disposed of them in trash bins around Lompoc City Airport.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California stated that Jacob’s motive for the staged crash was to gain notoriety, make money, and fulfill a promotional deal with a company. The Justice Department emphasized that such “daredevil” conduct cannot be tolerated.
Jacob’s sentencing was handed down by Judge John F. Walter, with the order to surrender to authorities by January 29. In a statement, Jacob expressed humility and considered the sentence the “right decision.” He acknowledged the learning experience from the criminal case and expressed excitement about continuing his positive growth during the prison term.
The YouTube video, which initially attracted skepticism and criticism from viewers and aviation experts, contributed to Jacob’s FAA pilot license revocation in 2022. The staged nature of the crash became apparent as doubts arose about Jacob’s parachute use in ordinary circumstances.
(with inputs from agencies)
The incident occurred in November 2021 when Jacob, a former snowboarding Olympian turned YouTuber, intentionally crashed his small plane, a 1940 Taylorcraft, while recording the event for his YouTubechannel.The video, titled “I Crashed My Airplane,” showcased Jacob ejecting from the plane with aselfie stick in hand and parachuting into the Los Padres National Forest. The video garnered millions of views before being removed from YouTube.
In the aftermath of the staged crash, Jacob misled investigators by falsely claiming the plane had experienced a full loss of power. He also lied about not knowing the location of the crash site. Further hindering the investigation, Jacob, with the help of a friend, removed the wreckage from the forest using a helicopter, cut it into small pieces, and disposed of them in trash bins around Lompoc City Airport.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California stated that Jacob’s motive for the staged crash was to gain notoriety, make money, and fulfill a promotional deal with a company. The Justice Department emphasized that such “daredevil” conduct cannot be tolerated.
Jacob’s sentencing was handed down by Judge John F. Walter, with the order to surrender to authorities by January 29. In a statement, Jacob expressed humility and considered the sentence the “right decision.” He acknowledged the learning experience from the criminal case and expressed excitement about continuing his positive growth during the prison term.
The YouTube video, which initially attracted skepticism and criticism from viewers and aviation experts, contributed to Jacob’s FAA pilot license revocation in 2022. The staged nature of the crash became apparent as doubts arose about Jacob’s parachute use in ordinary circumstances.
(with inputs from agencies)