2023-05-12 12:59:00
US authorities accuse Trevor Jacob of obstructing the investigation. He staged the jump from the small plane to increase the reach of his YouTube channel.
Because he intentionally crashed his plane for a high number of clicks, a YouTuber from the USA faces up to 20 years in prison. The pilot Trevor Jacob published a spectacular video of the crash and its aftermath on YouTube, which was viewed more than three million times. As the US authorities announced on Thursday (local time), he had staged the accident and then obstructed the investigation.
Filming himself using a selfie stick, Jacob, now 29, parachuted from the crashing plane over dense vegetation in Los Padres National Park, California, in November 2021. Cameras mounted all over the plane recorded the descent of the apparently out of control single-engine plane and its crash.
Helplessness was also filmed
Jacobs viewers were also able to see how the pilot climbed to the wreckage of his plane after the crash and found, apparently disappointed, that the water supplies he had packed were no longer there. Jacob showed him wandering through forests and over hills in search of help, telling over and over how thirsty he was and how helpless he felt.
When he finally stops at a water source, a vehicle comes along in the footage and saves the pilot in time before nightfall.
Plane dismembered and disposed of in garbage cans
The FAA opened an investigation into the crash and instructed Jacob not to dispose of the wreckage of the plane. The pilot told authorities he didn’t know where the wreckage was, but according to a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles, two weeks after the crash, he and a friend salvaged the wreckage from the woods by helicopter. He had previously backed up data from the cameras on board.
Contrary to the official order, according to the investigation, Jacob cut his plane into small pieces and disposed of them in garbage cans in and around Lompoc City Airport. Jacob has since admitted that he wanted to obstruct the federal authorities’ investigation and that he previously lied when he reported a plane crash. The FAA revoked his pilot’s license in April.
Jacob has agreed with prosecutors to plead guilty to vandalism and obstruction of investigation. The court case is expected to begin in the coming weeks. If convicted, the pilot faces up to 20 years in prison.
Unconvincing attempt to start the engine again
Apparently, Jacob made some mistakes in staging the crash. A number of pilots and flight experts pointed out that Jacob did not take even the simplest steps to restart the engine of the crash-prone plane. Others noted that Jacob could have made a safe landing while gliding. It is also extremely unusual for a pilot in a small aircraft to carry a parachute on his back just in case.
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