Trevor Jacob
Trevor Daniel Jacob, born August 6, 1993, in West Hills, California, is an American YouTuber, light aircraft pilot, and former Olympic snowboarder. He competed for the United States in snowboard cross at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, finishing ninth.
In November 2021, Jacob flew a Taylorcraft BL-65 from Lompoc Airport with the intention of filming a stunt. He wore a bulky parachute and carried cameras. After the engine allegedly failed, he parachuted out, and the plane, without a pilot, crashed in Los Padres National Forest near New Cuyama. Jacob later posted a YouTube video titled “I Crashed My Plane,” which many viewers thought was staged because key emergency actions were not shown.
Investigations followed. The FAA revoked his private pilot certificate, finding the flight to be careless or reckless. The National Transportation Safety Board opened an inquiry and later concluded that the crash was staged for notoriety and profit. In May 2023, Jacob pleaded guilty to destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation (obstruction of justice), admitting he lied to investigators and helped move and hide the wreckage. He acknowledged the plan was to gain publicity and money.
A federal judge sentenced him to six months in prison in December 2023, with a start date in January 2024. He began serving the sentence in January 2024 and was released on June 12, 2024. Shortly after the sentencing, the FAA said he had been granted a new pilot certificate, under normal conditions that apply after a revocation, including waiting a year and meeting other requirements.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:38 (CET).