Edhat Staff
A YouTube pilot had his license restored after being sentenced to six months in federal prison for obstructing a federal investigation by deliberately destroying the wreckage of an airplane that he intentionally crashed in Santa Barbara County to gain online views.
Trevor Daniel Jacob, 30, of Lompoc, pleaded guilty on June 30 to one count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation. He’s expected to report to Lompoc federal prison soon.
On November 24, 2021, Jacob took off in his airplane from Lompoc City Airport on a solo flight purportedly destined for Mammoth Lakes. He did not intend to reach his destination, but instead planned to eject from his aircraft during the flight and video himself parachuting to the ground and his airplane as it descended and crashed in order to promote a wallet based on a scholarship deal, according to the Department of Justice.
He hiked to the plane wreckage and removed data and video footage of the flight before reporting it to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Even though the wreckage was supposed to be preserved for an examination, Jacob reportedly lied to investigators, removed the wreckage from the crash site then destroyed and disposed of the evidence.
Following his sentencing, Jacob took to Instagram to post a public statement to his 131,000 followers saying he “took some bad advice” when deciding to remove the wreckage.
“This situation could have been a lot worse, and I am extremely grateful I am here to talk about it. I look forward to teaching our youth from my mistake, and the lessons I have learned from this, it has changed me as a person forever, and therefore, I am so excited for this next chapter of implementing those changes into society for the better,” Jacob wrote alongside a photo of him outside the U.S. Courthouse building.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revoked Jacob’s pilot’s license but have since restored it on a temporary basis after he filed a new application. According to the Independent, a spokesperson for the FAA stated their regulations allow a pilot to reapply for a new certificate after a year unless a drug offense was involved.
Last Sunday Trevor apparently had another airplane incident at the Lompoc Airport. The Independent reports the Santa Barbara Airport relayed an emergency call from Jacob as he was flying a single-engine Rans aircraft that is registered to him.
A Lompoc Firefighter stated Trevor thought there might be a fuel issue with the aircraft although he was able to safely land and there was no actual emergency.
The incident is under investigation by the FAA.
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- December 4, 2023: YouTuber Sentenced 6 Months in Prison for Intentionally Crashing Airplane in Los Padres Forest
Just what we need: Nuts in the sky.
Too lenient. What a shame. Why even have an FAA? They get the ‘zero balls award’ for today. Wow. This clown never be able to fly again. What does it take to get revoked??
Crazy.
When he kills someone the FAA will say they had no reason to suspect danger
Amateur pilot does nearly everything possible wrong, intentionally crashes a plane for “likes”, lies, cheats, steals, and then threatens a whole county with a wildfire, and the Feds give him a light slap on the wrist, which they announce on Christmas Day to hide. Sounds like the evil & awful “pilot” was working for the feds the whole time.
The news has been out for a week or two; it was not released Christmas day.
Boo! Trevor say all you want but you got a long way to go to prove you are not a rich entitled jerk.