YouTuber Sentenced Prison For Crashing His Plane For Views

Trevor Daniel Jacob is a YouTube content creator with over 100,000 subscribers but was recently sentenced to six months in federal prison. Trevor uploaded a video that went viral of him escaping a plane crash.

However, the authorities got involved in the crash, resulting in Trevor being arrested and given prison time. This brief post will explore this interesting story, revealing everything about Trevor Jacob, his viral video, and the legal implications.

Read on!

Who is Trevor Daniel Jacob?

Trevor Daniel Jacob is known as the YouTuber who got arrested for crashing his plane for views; however, there’s more to this daredevil. According to multiple sources, Trevor is a former Olympic athlete and extreme sports enthusiast.

He competed in snowboarding at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, finishing ninth in the men’s snowboard cross event. Trevor also participated in other winter sports, such as skateboarding, surfing, BMX riding, motocross, and mixed martial arts.

He was part of Travis Pastrana’s Nitro Circus collective and worked on projects with companies such as Google and Nike. Ultimately, Trevor had an impressive resume, but the search for internet fame was his undoing.

Trevor’s Life-Changing Video

Despite being a relatively successful sportsman, Trevor sought more recognition through YouTube. He aimed to create a viral video showing him escaping a faulty plane destined to crash.

Therefore, he took to the skies with his Taylorcraft BL-65, a 1940 vintage single-engine light aircraft registered as N29508. The uploaded video was titled “I Crashed My Airplane” on December 23, 2021, which showed him ejecting from his plane and landing safely with a parachute. 

According to the daredevil, he claimed that his engine stalled, making it necessary to abandon the aircraft. 

However, his stunt backfired when some viewers noticed he was wearing a parachute, did not try to glide the plane to a safe landing area, and took a camera and selfie stick with him when he left the plane.

Crash Investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board

The law requires that all pilots report any aircraft accident or severe malfunctions to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) immediately. Therefore, the authorities will eventually find out about Trevor’s stunt.

According to federal prosecutors in a news release, he told the NTSB about the crash two days later, and the organization launched an investigation. It’s worth noting that the authorities also notified Trevor to preserve the wreckage, as the agency will need to see it.

However, while Trevor agreed to provide investigators with the crash site, he lied multiple times as the agency inquired for over two months.

Later in December, Trevor and his friend allegedly hired a chopper to carry the remains back to Santa Maria, California. Afterward, he divided the aircraft into smaller pieces and put them in the garbage.

Trevor Jacob’s Crime: Obstructing a Federal Investigation

Logically, Trevor should have the right to handle his property however he sees fit and not face any penalty. Although this assumption is somewhat true, it doesn’t apply to airplane crashes.

All pilots must legally report a crash to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for an investigation. Trevor’s crime is that he deliberately obstructed a federal investigation by lying about the location and removing the wreckage without permission.

Naturally, the agency doesn’t take this offense lightly, as obstructing a federal investigation comes with steep fines, jail time of up to five years, or both. Nevertheless, Trevor Jacob eventually accepted the plea deal, which offenders can take in misdemeanor or felony cases.

At the same time, the Central District of California sentences Trevor to six months in federal prison for submitting false reports of his wrecked plane’s location.

Trevor’s attorney pleaded for probation instead of prison time, stating that the YouTuber was “living alone in his hanger” during the height of the coronavirus pandemic and made a “series of bad choices that culminated in the offense to which he has pleaded guilty.”

Nevertheless, the prosecutors were unphased by the request, stating that keeping him. in prison for six months is “necessary to prevent others from attempting this type of stunt.”

Trevor’s Letter to the Judge

Trevor Jacob wrote a letter to the judge before his sentencing in which he expressed his remorse and gratitude for the opportunity to learn from his mistakes. He thanked the judge, attorney, and support system for their help and guidance, saying he had learned more about himself.

He admitted that he intentionally crashed the plane for notoriety and profit since it was a stunt to promote one of his sponsors, a wallet company. Never, he agreed that he should have never gone forward with it, even if he made sure the area was free of human housing or trail routes.

Trevor Regains His Pilot’s  License 

Surprisingly, Jacob posted another video on his YouTube channel titled “I Got My Pilot’s License Back! But I’m Going To Prison.” The stuntman revealed that he had lost his license in April 2022, when the FAA revoked it after discovering his plane crash stunt.

The video showed him doing various activities before sentencing, such as cooking eggs, skateboarding, practicing jiu-jitsu, flying a plane, and riding a dirt bike. Amongst these, Trevor admitted that he was an “idiot” for crashing his plane and lying about it.

He claimed that he followed “really bad legal advice” and hid the evidence of the crash, thinking it didn’t matter much. At the same time, Trevor explained that he did not crash the plane for views but because it was his lifelong dream.

According to him, he has always wanted to jump out of a plane and watch it crash into the ground and then share it with the world. Nevertheless, Trevor has learned from his mistakes and hopes to move on.

However, his comment section wasn’t on his side, with someone pointing out that the official report said the stunt was to promote a wallet company, and now it’s a life-long dream. Others also mentioned how he didn’t explain why he lied about the plane losing power.