A YouTuber who purposely caused an airplane crash to gain more views on his channel has decided to admit guilt in obstructing a federal investigation. The charge pertains to deliberately destroying and hiding evidence with the intention of hindering a federal investigation.
The individual in question is Trevor Jacob, a 29-year-old content creator who shared a video of the plane crash on YouTube back in December 2021, misleading viewers into believing it was an unintentional incident. Surprisingly, the video has amassed a staggering 2.9 million views so far.
Jacob posted the video saying, “I Crashed My Airplane” on Dec. 23, 2021.
Jacob’s confession about the flight
In the recently reached plea agreement, Jacob confessed that he recorded the video as part of a sponsorship agreement with a product.
However, his actions have serious legal consequences, as he could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison. This information was conveyed by the US justice department through an official statement on Thursday (May 11, 2023).
Mr. Jacob embarked on a flight alone from an airport located in Santa Barbara, California. He had cameras affixed to his aircraft for the purpose of recording. Not only did Mr. Jacob bring along a parachute, but he also carried a selfie stick during his journey.
The authenticity of the crash
The incident occurred when the airplane collided with the Los Padres National Forest approximately 35 minutes after it had taken off. Despite the gravity of the situation, a brave individual hiked to the crash site and managed to retrieve the recorded footage.
🚨🚨 BREAKING:- A YouTuber pilot Travor Jacob who bailed out midair and deliberately sent his plane crashing into the ground to bolster viewing numbers on his channel could be jailed for up to 20 years, US authorities have said. pic.twitter.com/3SHsPm6G1t
— BREAKING NEWS BULLETIN DAILY (@bulletindaily) May 12, 2023
Following the dissemination of the footage on YouTube, certain viewers expressed doubts about the authenticity of the crash. Their skepticism stemmed from their observation that Mr. Jacob, the pilot, was already equipped with a parachute and did not appear to make any effort to safely land the aircraft.
Reporting of the crash
The crash was promptly reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) by an individual. It was stated by the NTSB that this individual had the responsibility to safeguard the wreckage.
As per the agreement made, Mr. Jacob asserted afterward that he was unaware of the exact whereabouts of the crash site. However, he indeed knew the location and returned to the scene via helicopter.
There, he took necessary measures to secure and remove the wreckage, which he subsequently destroyed. In the upcoming weeks, Mr. Jacob is anticipated to appear in court for his initial hearing. It should be noted that his pilot’s license was revoked last year.
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