Trevor Jacob, a 29-year-old YouTuber and former Olympic snowboarder, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing a federal investigation by destroying the wreckage of a plane he deliberately crashed. According the US Department of JusticeJacob admitted in his plea agreement that he lied about the plane’s total loss of power and that he crashed the plane to garner online views and make money.
On November 24, 2021, Jacob took off from Lompoc City Airport in a 1940 Taylorcraft to an intended destination of Mammoth Lakes, California. He had said in his YouTube video that he planned to scatter the ashes of Johnny Strange, his late best friend, in Mammoth Lakes. Jacob jumped out of the plane as it flew over Los Padres National Forest after a 35-minute flight. After being parachuted to the ground, Jacob walked to the wreckage to retrieve video footage from cameras mounted on the plane.
Two days later, Jacob reported the crash to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The agency quickly launched an investigation and informed Jacob that he was responsible for preserving the wreckage. In the weeks that followed, Jacob lied to investigators and told them he couldn’t find the crash site.
In early December, Jacobs and a friend flew to the wreckage site by helicopter. The couple airlifted the wreckage to a trailer attached to Jacob’s van, then towed the remains of the plane to Lompoc City Airport. At the airport, Jacob cut up and destroyed as much wreckage as he could and threw pieces into trash cans around the airport.
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The crime to which Jacob pleaded guilty carries a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The Federal Aviation Administration has also revoked his pilot’s license in April 2022.
