A YouTuber crashed his plane. The FAA says it was all for show.

[MS Coast]

The goof who staged an engine failure in a Taylorcraft BL-65 so that he could video it for Youtube has had his license revoked. He rigged the plane with multiple cameras and wore a sport parachute and then narrated his jump without ever trying to restart the engine or declare an emergency.

He's still claiming that he didn't stage the event. And he's whining about being picked on by the aviation community and made a video of himself mailing his license to the FAA and saying that he might quit flying because he's hated.

Good riddance.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/04/25/trevor-jacob-youtube-plane-crash/

Excerpt:

The FAA cited several pieces of evidence that Jacob intentionally crashed his plane in November, saying he did not call air traffic control, try to restart the engine or attempt to land the plane “even though there were multiple areas within gliding range in which you could have made a safe landing.”

Jacob also attached multiple cameras to the exterior of the plane, the FAA noted, and continued to record the plane’s descent into the mountains with his selfie stick as he fell from the sky. Moreover, the FAA said, Jacob disposed of the plane wreckage and recovered the cameras he had attached to it.

The agency called the crash “careless and reckless,” noting that Jacob could have hurt someone or damaged property. Los Padres National Forest stretches 220 miles and attracts visitors for hiking and camping.

 

[EsaT]

He got away with very minor penalties.
IIRC people analyzing video noticed what looked lot like that he had even fire extinguisher inside pantlegs.
Now why would anyone do that, unless afraid of not getting to recover cameras because of fire?
Would be definitely right if also Youtube demonetized his channel.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Does that amount to a criminal conviction and or impose any additional conditions on obtaining a new license.
If the plane was insured and claimed for, would it open the way to fraud charges?
Does it open the way to the land owner bringing charges or damage claims?

 

[Chip]

Does that amount to a criminal conviction and or impose any additional conditions on obtaining a new license.
If the plane was insured and claimed for, would it open the way to fraud charges?
Does it open the way to the land owner bringing charges or damage claims?

There would likely be no viable insurance claim for property damage to plane because insurance policies usually cover damage caused by accident, not intentional act. There would be no insurance fraud unless Trevor submitted a claim alleging accident and requested monetary payment.

Yes, anyone who owns the land where the plane crashed may have claim for property damage although plane was removed and scene was sanitized so maybe no measurable or compensable damage. If plane had leaked gas or oil into the ground and/or started fire then likely different story.

Of course the really terrifying scenario would be if Trevor had stashed a Mavic Mini into his pocket before he jumped from plane and then it had accidentally fallen out, crashed through trees in condor nesting area, before hitting ground and breaking to smithereens. If that had happened, you can bet your life the FBI, DOJ, BLM, and the Environmental Crimes Task Force etc. would be all over it.

 

[snowghost]

Yeah I always carry a selfie stick for when I have an emergency or crash. He's a (Mod Removed Language)

 

[Skyryder]

If a Drone Pilot purposefully crashed a large drone like an Inspire for YouTube up votes, what would be the FAA fine? I am thinking a lot worse than this guy with a real airplane.

 

[MS Coast]

If a Drone Pilot purposefully crashed a large drone like an Inspire for YouTube up votes, what would be the FAA fine? I am thinking a lot worse than this guy with a real airplane.

I really think that's highly unlikely.

 

[Skyryder]

I really think that's highly unlikely.

That's what they said about YouTuber crashing a plane skydiving out of his airplane it with a selfie stick too. I dont think the FAA thought that was a likely event they would ever have to address. Yet so lite on the punishment of that type of behavior. No fines?

 

[Skwirl]

The short piece I read about it said the FAA suspended his license for 1 year.

 

[EsaT]

The short piece I read about it said the FAA suspended his license for 1 year.

Revoked, not suspended.
Meaning instead of taking license "to dry" for year FAA shredded it and he can reapply for new license after one year.

 

[MS Coast]

That's what they said about YouTuber crashing a plane skydiving out of his airplane it with a selfie stick too. I dont think the FAA thought that was a likely event they would ever have to address. Yet so lite on the punishment of that type of behavior. No fines

That's what they said about YouTuber crashing a plane skydiving out of his airplane it with a selfie stick too. I dont think the FAA thought that was a likely event they would ever have to address. Yet so lite on the punishment of that type of behavior. No fines?

I meant that it's unlikely the FAA would impose a greater penalty for crashing a drone than for that man intentionally crashing the Taylorcraft.

 

[Skyryder]

Didn't that guy send it in before it got to that saying he wasn't interested in flying anymore? You know, like "you're fired...No I quit". Will Smith move.

 

[test2000Anafi]

He should have done that from a 737 but without the plane crashing. Like:

TRYING TO CATCH A WEDDING BY JUMPING OUT OF AN AIRPLANE (NO CLICKBAIT)

 

[Rich QR]

Revoked, not suspended.
Meaning instead of taking license "to dry" for year FAA shredded it and he can reapply for new license after one year.

Right. And after a year, he would have to fully meet all the requirements, including addressing any black marks that might show up in his background report.

I believe it will end up being a lifetime ban, but their procedures don't allow them to issue that lifetime ban today.

 

[Rich QR]

so lite on the punishment of that type of behavior. No fines?

No fines yet.

I haven't yet seen any evidence that they have closed the case.

 

[Galeforce1]

There's no question about it NOT being deliberately staged, and you don't even have to be a pilot to see this. He deserves to lose his licence permanently.

 

[EsaT]

There's no question about it NOT being deliberately staged, and you don't even have to be a pilot to see this. He deserves to lose his licence permanently.

And in the very minor 0.1% possibility of it not being staged, conclusion would be same:
He demonstrated complete lack of knowledge and skills to qualify for captaincy of any ship... including citizenship.

 

[Chip]

This guy intentionally crashes his plane into condor nesting area and USFS land which could have easily caused wildfire and then destroys evidence and sanitizes the crime scene. No FAA fine at all. Not even $25 for littering. Now, as for the guy whose little drone accidentally blew away in the wind and landed safely in the scrub at airport in Las Vegas? FAA scorched him for $20,000.

 

[Chip]

Right. And after a year, he would have to fully meet all the requirements, including addressing any black marks that might show up in his background report.

I believe it will end up being a lifetime ban, but their procedures don't allow them to issue that lifetime ban today.

Trevor says he bargained the FAA down from 12 month to 10 month wait to apply for reinstatement of his license.

 

[MS Coast]

This guy intentionally crashes his plane into condor nesting area and USFS land which could have easily caused wildfire and then destroys evidence and sanitizes the crime scene. No FAA fine at all. Not even $25 for littering. Now, as for the guy whose little drone accidentally blew away in the wind and landed safely in the scrub at airport in Las Vegas? FAA scorched him for $20,000.

There's a little more to that story than "little drone accidentally blew away and landed safely." First, the fine was $14,700, but he failed to pay or appeal for months and it increased. He violated several rather serious regulations before losing control of his drone. He took off in controlled airspace from the 8th floor of a parking garage without permission, flew over a densely occupied urban area. And the drone landed next to an active runway at a Class B airport.

I agree that the fine sounds high for a first offense, but let's stick to the facts of the case rather than representing as nearly nothing.