Extreme athlete Trevor Jacob’s YouTube video, “I Crashed My Airplane,” has amassed over 3.7 million views since the end of 2021. However, the attention garnered by the video has come at a high cost for Jacob as he pleads guilty to obstructing investigations by US federal authorities. Among other things, he confessed to intentionally crashing his plane in Los Padres National Park in California and deliberately destroying and hiding the wreckage to increase online viewership.
The Central District of California’s prosecutor’s office released a statement regarding Jacob’s admission of guilt, highlighting his criminal offense of “destruction and concealment” to deceive the authorities. While the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison, Jacob’s confession could potentially reduce the scope of his penalty. The charges were filed in the US Court for the District of Los Angeles, with Jacob set to make his first appearance in the coming weeks.
According to Jacob’s confession, he is a former Olympic snowboarder and a veteran pilot and skydiver who had sponsorship deals with various companies. In one such deal, he agreed to advertise a particular product in a YouTube video. On November 24, 2021, he set off on a solo flight on a Taylorcraft BL64 ostensibly to Mammoth Lakes but planned to parachute down mid-flight and film the plane’s crash.
Jacob notified the National Transportation Safety Board of the crash on November 26, 2021, which began its investigation immediately. However, he repeatedly lied to authorities and picked up the wreckage himself, chopped it up, and disposed of it in garbage cans to make the investigation more challenging. As a result, the pilot lost his license.
In conclusion, Trevor Jacob’s ambition for online fame is juxtaposed against the severe consequences he now faces. His admission of guilt could potentially reduce the severity of his penalty, but his actions regarding his plane’s crash and the subsequent destruction of evidence are criminal offenses that will have long-lasting implications on his life.
