Investigations

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May 10, 2023

California Pilot Charged and Agrees to Plead Guilty To Obstructing Federal Investigation After Intentionally Crashing Airplane

Video Icon Press Release - USAO, Central District of California
On May 10, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the U.S. Attorney filed an information charging Trevor Daniel Jacob with obstructing a Federal investigation. As part of a plea agreement, Jacob admitted to ejecting and parachuting from the airplane, which caused the airplane to crash in the Los Padres National Forest in November 2021. Various cameras mounted on the airplane recorded the crash, and Jacob later uploaded footage of it on YouTube with the intent to make money. In December 2021, Jacob recovered and destroyed the wreckage and later lied to investigators about not knowing the location of the wreckage. According to the information filed, Jacob altered, destroyed, mutilated, concealed, and covered up the Taylorcraft BL-65 aircraft with the intent to obstruct National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigations regarding the crash.
 
DOT-OIG conducted this investigation with assistance from FAA and NTSB.
 
Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.