Lompoc, California – A YouTuber pilot from California has been sentenced to six months in prison for deliberately crashing a small plane in the Los Padres National Forest for a YouTube video. Trevor Jacob, a former Olympic snowboarder, admitted to intentionally ejecting from his single-propeller plane, allowing it to crash so he could produce a video titled “I Crashed My Plane,” which garnered more than 4.4 million views.

According to the US Attorney’s office for the Central District of California, Jacob pleaded guilty to one count of destroying and concealing evidence to obstruct a federal investigation. The incident occurred on November 24, 2021, when Jacob set off from Lompoc City Airport. Prosecutors revealed that Jacob did not intend to reach his destination and instead parachuted from the airplane after pretending it had lost power. He then fitted the plane with multiple cameras to record himself parachuting to the ground.

Two days after the crash, Jacob informed the National Transportation Safety Board and claimed he would help locate the crashed plane. However, he later orchestrated the transportation of the wreck to a hangar at Lompoc City Airport and disassembled the plane, dumping its parts into various trash bins to obstruct a Federal Aviation Administration investigation.

Despite the intense scrutiny he faced from other aviation YouTubers, Jacob admitted in June that he had agreed to advertise a sponsor’s product in the video. As a result, he was sentenced to six months in prison and had his pilot’s license revoked by the FAA in April 2022. However, Jacob has since re-obtained his pilot’s license.

In a video released after his sentencing, Jacob expressed regret for his actions, describing himself as an “idiot” and attributing his actions to “really bad legal advice” and his childhood dream of jumping out of a plane and watching it crash. He expressed gratitude for the judge’s decision and stated his commitment to positive growth during his six-month term in prison.

The YouTuber’s case serves as a cautionary tale about the ethical and legal ramifications of using extreme stunts and activities for online content and sponsorships. The deliberate destruction of evidence and obstruction of an investigation demonstrate the serious consequences of prioritizing online clout over safety and legal compliance.