In a startling turn of events, a 30-year-old YouTuber pilot, Trevor Daniel Jacob, found himself sentenced to six months in federal prison by the Central District of California. This ruling came as a consequence of his shocking act of intentionally crashing an airplane solely for the sake of garnering online views. The incident, which unfolded in May earlier this year, took a legal twist as Jacob pleaded guilty to obstructing a federal investigation by submitting a false report about the wreckage’s location and falsely attributing the crash to engine failure.

The ambitious stunt was planned to unfold during a solo flight on November 24th, 2021, purportedly heading towards Mammoth Lakes, California. Jacob’s intention was to deliberately eject from the aircraft, capturing the entire event on video, including his parachute descent to the ground. Multiple video cameras were strategically mounted on his plane, complemented by a selfie-stick-mounted camera held by Jacob after the ejection. These devices meticulously recorded the plane’s descent and eventual crash into the serene Los Padres National Forest near Santa Maria.

Following the incident, Jacob, in a bizarre twist, claimed ignorance about the wreckage’s location when questioned by investigators. Despite this, he had agreed to provide the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with coordinates of the downed plane and video footage on November 26th. However, as events unfolded, it was revealed that Jacob not only knew the crash location but had collected the wreckage via helicopter on December 10th, disposing of it discreetly in trash bins around Lompoc Airport.

The sensational video, titled “I Crashed My Airplane,” documenting the crash and Jacob’s parachute descent, was eventually uploaded to his YouTube channel on December 23rd, 2021. This upload, intriguingly, was part of a sponsorship deal promoting a company’s wallet, adding a layer of commercial interest to the entire escapade.

Prosecutors, during their thorough investigation, concluded that Jacob’s motives were driven by a desire for social media and news coverage, as well as financial gain. They emphasized that such “daredevil” conduct cannot be tolerated, highlighting the inherent risks associated with performing dangerous and illegal activities for public spectacle. In a bizarre twist of irony, it appears that Jacob’s ill-fated attempt at gaining notoriety through deception has led him straight into the corridors of federal prison, proving that actions, even in the pursuit of online fame, have real-world consequences.