According to US prosecutors, YouTuber Trevor Jacob, known for his pilot and skydiving videos, will plead guilty to obstructing a federal investigation by tampering with the crash site of an intentionally crashed airplane. In December 2021, Jacob posted a video on YouTube depicting a plane crash, implying it was an accident. The video has since garnered over 2.9 million views. Jacob admitted that he filmed the video as part of a product sponsorship deal. The 29-year-old pilot and skydiver has agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation.
The US justice department stated that he could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. In November 2021, Jacob departed from a Santa Barbara airport on a solo flight, equipped with cameras mounted on his plane, a parachute, and a selfie stick. The plan was for Jacob to eject from the aircraft mid-flight, record himself parachuting to the ground, and capture the plane’s descent and crash.
After the plane crashed into the Los Padres National Forest approximately 35 minutes after takeoff, Trevor Jacob hiked to the crash site and recovered the footage. Some YouTube viewers expressed skepticism about the crash, as Jacob was already wearing a parachute and did not attempt to land the plane safely.
He reported the crash to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who informed him that he was responsible for preserving the wreckage. However, according to the plea agreement, Jacob later claimed that he was unaware of the crash site’s location.
Subsequently, Jacob returned to the crash site via helicopter, secured the wreckage, and removed it. The statement from the US justice department mentioned that he later destroyed the wreckage. Mr. Jacob’s initial court appearance is expected to take place in the coming weeks. It’s worth noting that his pilot’s license was already revoked the previous year.
