WATCH: Viral Video Gone Wrong – YouTuber faces 20 years in prison for intentional plane crash

A YouTuber in the United States (US) faces up to 20 years imprisonment after he admitted to crashing his plane on purpose.

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Plea Deal Reached: YouTuber Pilot Faces Potential 20-Year Sentence for Intentional Plane Crash

YouTuber pilot Trevor Jacob’s ‘I Crashed My Airplane’ video has amassed over three million views since it was posted on 24 December 2021.

According to BBC News, the 29-year-old skydiver and pilot agreed to a plea deal with the US government – the US justice department made the announcement in a statement on Thursday.

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Jacob could spend up to 20 years in prison. According to reports, the YouTuber took a solo flight from an airport in Santa Barbara, California, in November 2021. However, he had no intention of reaching his destination.

Jacobs, who had cameras, a parachute, and a selfie stick, planned to eject from his plane during the flight and record himself parachuting to the ground, said the US Attorney’s office for the Central District of California.

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The crash took place 35 minutes after takeoff, and Jacobs hiked to the crash site in the Los Padres National Forest and recovered the footage.

The BBC reported that some YouTube viewers were sceptical of the crash at the time because the pilot was already wearing a parachute and did not attempt to land the plane safely.

In Jacobs’ plea agreement, he said he filmed the stunt for a product sponsorship deal. He pleaded guilty to a count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation.

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