Trevor Jacob facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Trevor Jacob
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| Born |
Trevor Daniel Jacob
August 6, 1993 West Hills, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | YouTuber Light aircraft pilot Competitive snowboarder |
| Criminal charge(s) | Obstruction of justice |
| Criminal penalty | 6 months' imprisonment |
| Criminal status | Released on June 12, 2024. |
Trevor Daniel Jacob (born August 6, 1993) is an American athlete and YouTuber. He is known for his skills in snowboard cross, an exciting winter sport. Trevor also enjoys other extreme sports and is a light aircraft pilot. He even represented the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics in snowboarding.
In December 2021, Trevor Jacob posted a video on YouTube. In the video, he parachuted out of a small airplane. He claimed the plane's engine had stopped working. However, investigators later found that he had intentionally crashed the plane. He did this to film the event for his video. Because of this, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took away his pilot license.
Later, Trevor admitted that he had not been truthful with federal investigators. He also admitted that he crashed the plane on purpose to become more famous and earn money. He faced consequences for his actions and spent six months in prison. He was released in June 2024.
Trevor Jacob's Athletic Journey
Trevor Jacob grew up in Mammoth Lakes, California. He is a talented snowboarder.
Competing in the Olympics
Trevor competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics held in Sochi, Russia. He took part in the men's snowboard cross event. He made it to the semifinal round. He finished ninth overall in the competition.
Other Snowboarding Achievements
Trevor also competed in the Winter X Games. These are big events for extreme sports. He participated in 2014, 2015, and 2016 in Aspen, Colorado. His best result was fifth place in 2016. He also won a 2013–14 FIS Snowboard World Cup event in January 2014.
Beyond Snowboarding
Besides snowboarding, Trevor Jacob is skilled in many other sports. He has done skateboarding, surfing, BMX riding, and motocross. He was also part of Travis Pastrana's Nitro Circus group, which is famous for amazing stunts.
Trevor Jacob's YouTube Channel
Trevor Jacob creates videos for his YouTube channel. He often shares content about skydiving, flying planes, and snowboarding. By January 2022, his channel had more than 100,000 subscribers.
The Airplane Incident
A Taylorcraft B similar to the aircraft involved
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| Incident summary | |
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| Date | November 24, 2021 |
| Summary | Deliberately crashed as a publicity stunt |
| Place | Los Padres National Forest, near New Cuyama, California, United States 34°48′50″N 119°57′33″W / 34.814°N 119.9591°W |
| Passengers | 0 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Injuries (non-fatal) | 1 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Survivors | 1 |
| Aircraft type | Taylorcraft BL-65 |
| Airline/user | Trevor Jacob |
| Registration | NC29508 |
| Flew from | Lompoc Airport |
| Flying to | None |
Trevor Jacob owned a Taylorcraft BL-65 airplane. It was a small, single-engine plane from 1940. On November 24, 2021, he took off alone from Lompoc Airport. He said he was flying to spread a friend's ashes. People at the airport said his plane needed a lot of repairs.
Unusually, Trevor wore a large skydiving parachute during the flight. This type of parachute is not comfortable in a small plane. He also had several cameras set up to record the flight. He even carried a selfie stick.
What Happened During the Flight
During the flight, the plane's engine stopped. Trevor then parachuted safely to the ground. He had only minor injuries when he landed. The empty plane crashed into a wild area in Los Padres National Forest. The plane was badly damaged. Trevor walked to the crash site. Then he hiked out and said the engine had failed.
About a month later, Trevor released a 13-minute video on YouTube. It was called "I Crashed My Plane." The video showed many parts of the event. However, it did not show the plane's controls or engine instruments. It also didn't show Trevor trying to restart the engine. He also didn't try to contact air traffic control or find a safe place to land. These things made many people in the aviation community suspicious. They thought the crash might have been planned for publicity. The video was watched over 1.7 million times before it was removed from YouTube.
Trevor Jacob said that he did not purposefully crash the plane. He stated that "People can believe whatever they choose."
Investigations and Consequences
Two days after the crash, Trevor reported it to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB started an investigation. They asked Trevor to keep the plane's wreckage safe and share all his video footage. He agreed but later said he didn't know where the wreckage was. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also started an investigation. Trevor told investigators he couldn't remember the exact crash location. The U.S. Forest Service said the plane's wreckage was removed mysteriously before the YouTube video came out.
In April 2022, the FAA decided that Trevor had abandoned the plane on purpose. They noted that he opened the cabin door before the engine supposedly failed. He also didn't try to land safely or contact air traffic control. He also recovered the cameras and wreckage himself. The FAA took away Trevor's private pilot certificate. They said he could not apply for a new one for one year. They stated his flight was "careless or reckless."
Admitting the Truth and Prison Time
On May 11, 2023, Trevor Jacob admitted to making mistakes. He pleaded guilty to not being truthful with federal investigators. He admitted he lied by submitting a false accident report. He also falsely told an FAA investigator that his engine failed.
Trevor also admitted that he and a friend used a helicopter to move the plane's wreckage. This happened on December 10, 2021. He then moved it to a hangar, cut it up, and got rid of the pieces. He did all this without permission. He also told investigators he didn't know where the wreckage was. Trevor admitted he crashed the plane "to gain notoriety and to make money." He said he wanted to earn money from a company that sponsored his video.
Trevor reached an agreement with federal prosecutors in May 2023. On December 4, 2023, a judge sentenced him to six months in prison. He started his sentence in January 2024. He was released from USP Lompoc on June 12, 2024.
Getting a New Pilot License
Less than a week after his prison sentence, Trevor Jacob was granted a new pilot certificate by the FAA. FAA rules allow a pilot to get a new license after a year if certain conditions are met. Trevor had met these conditions. He completed the same training and tests as a new pilot.
Images for kids
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A Taylorcraft B similar to the aircraft involved in the incident.
