YouTuber and experienced pilot Trevor Daniel Jacob, 30, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for orchestrating a staged plane crash in California, all in the pursuit of creating a sensational YouTube video.
Jacob, known for his daring content, pleaded guilty to obstructing a federal investigation by deliberately destroying the wreckage after the incident.
The controversial video, titled “I Crashed My Airplane,” surfaced in December 2021, depicting Jacob’s small plane allegedly experiencing engine failure over the mountainous Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County.
The influencer, equipped with a parachute and a selfie stick camera, jumped out of the plane, capturing the descent on cameras mounted on the plane’s wing and tail, as well as the handheld device.
Jacob’s actions were fueled by a sponsorship deal to promote a company’s product in the video, and it was revealed that he never intended to complete the flight.
Despite the dangerous stunt, the justice department disclosed that Jacob misled federal investigators about the crash location, leading to a subsequent cover-up.
Following the incident on November 24, 2021, Jacob, along with a friend, flew to the crash site in a helicopter, where they lifted the wreckage and transported it to a trailer attached to Jacob’s pickup truck. The dismantled plane parts were later disposed of in trash bins.
This dramatic episode has not only cost Jacob his reputation but also led to the revocation of his pilot license by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2022.
The sentencing serves as a stern warning about the consequences of prioritising sensationalism over safety in the pursuit of online content.
