Adventurous YouTuber, Trevor Jacob, finds himself grounded in more ways than one as he faces a six-month prison sentence for orchestrating the deliberate crash of his airplane in Santa Barbara, California. The 30-year-old content creator recently pleaded guilty to charges of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation, stemming from a reckless stunt designed to capture the attention of his online audience.
In November 2021, Jacob embarked on a solo flight in his small aircraft, generously equipped with mounted cameras to document the impending chaos. Approximately 35 minutes into the journey, Jacob purportedly abandoned the aircraft mid-flight, citing a supposed mechanical failure. Miraculously, he managed to film himself parachuting to safety as the plane careened into the Los Padres National Forest, a heart-stopping spectacle that undoubtedly left his viewers on the edge of their seats.
The drama, however, did not end with the crash. Two days later, Jacob reported the incident to the National Transportation Safety Board, launching an official investigation. Deceptively, he claimed ignorance regarding the wreckage’s location. As investigators delved into the matter, it was discovered that on December 10, 2021, Jacob, accompanied by an accomplice, utilized a helicopter to covertly extract the wreckage from the national park. The duo subsequently disposed of the evidence, hindering the investigation.
Prosecutors expressed their disdain for Jacob’s actions, arguing in a sentencing memorandum that he exhibited “exceptionally poor judgment” and engaged in the offense likely for personal publicity and financial gain. The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Central District of California, in a news release, emphasized that such “daredevil” conduct cannot be tolerated.
The ill-fated YouTube video, provocatively titled “I Crashed My Airplane,” was posted at the end of December 2021 and even featured a sponsorship deal with a wallet-selling company. Although the video has since been set to private, its notoriety was established with over 3 million views by May. Jacob’s web of deceit continued as he misled investigators, falsely claiming a complete loss of power and engine failure.
As the curtains close on this escapade, Trevor Jacob finds himself in a real-life drama, serving as a cautionary tale against the perils of sacrificing judgment and integrity for the allure of internet fame and financial gain.