Trevor Jacob is a Youtube personality and former Olympic snowboarder. He posted an online video that shows him jumping from a small plane equipped with a parachute, and the aircraft colliding into California hillsides.
Aviators who viewed the video wondered if the daredevil and adventurer might have abandoned his second-hand aircraft, which looked shabby, in order to gain viral fame.
Jacob, 28 years old, competed at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games (Sochi, Russia) and uploaded the video to his YouTube channel, titled “I Crashed My Plane” on Christmas Eve.
The edited 13-minute video, which shows Jacob’s short flight, parachute jump, and long trek across rugged terrain has been viewed more than one million times as of Thursday.
The FAA is investigating Olympic snowboarder Trevor Jacob’s crash in the California mountains, November 24th.
In a viral video posted by Jacob last month, the athlete and adventurer takes off from Lompoc City Airport to fly to Mammoth Lakes, California
Jacob says on the video that his goal was to spread Johnny Strange’s ashes (pictured), his friend who had died from a fall while BASE jumping in 2015.
The clip has also attracted negative attention from the aviation industry, with many enthusiasts and experts left questioning whether daredevil athletes had staged the parachutist’s crash and jump in order to increase ‘clicks and virality.
According to the Santa Barbara Independent, speculation about the incident, which occurred in November, reached fever pitch. The Federal Aviation Administration (NAA) and National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation into Jacob’s actions.
DailyMail.com reached out Thursday to both agencies. FAA spokeswoman said that both agencies are involved in the investigation.
Jacob flew in his newly purchased Taylocraft BL64 single engine plane, from Lompoc City Airport near Santa Barbara on November 24th.
Taylorcraft aircraft, such as Jacobs which date back to 1940s, can be priced from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the condition. Jacob did not disclose the price of his plane, but it was in poor condition with duct tape around its dashboard and water marks outside.
At this point, it is not clear if Jacob had made insurance claims since the accident.
The 50th anniversary marked the DB Cooper hijacking. A mystery man parachuted from a Boeing 727 to Washington State with $200,000 as ransom.
Around 20 minutes into flight the TaylorcraftBL64 seems to have lost power. The engine then stalls in a rugged mountainous area.
Jacob seems to be struggling to get out of the plane as he tries to escape the cockpit mid-flight.
The adventurer straps a parachute to his back and jumps out of the airplane, leaving the parachute hanging in the air.
Jacob complaining about cuts and scrapes is shown in video.
The image was taken by one the many cameras on the plane. It shows the aircraft just moments before it crashes nose-first into the hill.
Red circled aircraft seen resting on hills in Los Padres National Forest
Jacob walked to the wreckage, took photos of it and posted them on Instagram a month later. This was to help promote the video.
Jacob states in the video, that his goal was to go to Mammoth to share the ashes with his friend Johnny Strange who died in 2015 in an accident while BASE jumping.
Jacob gives his thumbs up and smiles at one of the cameras on board the plane in the beginning of this video.
About 20 minutes into flight, Taylorcraft’s single engine seems to have lost power, and the propeller suddenly stops turning.
Jacob lets loose a series of exclamations as he struggles with the door to open. He eventually manages to get out of the plane, and opens his parachute.
Jacob’s abandoned aircraft hangs high in the sky before crashing nose-first into Los Padres National Forest. Multiple cameras attached to the aircraft capture the accident from various angles.
Jacob took a photo in September of the parachute harness he used in the video. He was seated at the controls on a plane.
It occurred on the 50th anniversary for the DB Cooper hijacking. A mystery man parachuted from a plane carrying a ransom of $200,000 and fled. Above is a composite FBI sketch of the perpetrator. He was not identified.
The former snowboarder lands safely in the brush. He appears frustrated, complaining about scrapes, and is grateful for his fortunate escape.
He exclaims, “This is why I always fly using a parachute.”
Jacob describes in video how his plane suffered an “engine failure” and that he decided to let the aircraft crash mid-flight because there wasn’t a safe landing spot.
Jacob walks to the scene of the accident to see the debris, and then wanders through the forest in search of darkness. Finally, he meets a farmer who offers his help.
Trevor Jacob participates in Day 11 of 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, Sochi.
Jacob did a trick in 2018 where he jumped off of a roof into his friend’s pool. Video of the stunt was viralized online
According to The Santa Barbara Independent, unnamed airport sources raised concerns about Jacob’s plane. They said that the aircraft appeared in disrepair and needed maintenance prior to Jacob’s November 24th flight.
Sources claim that Jacob went back to the airport a few days later to tell them about his tragic plane crash. Jacob is alleged to have chartered an aircraft to take away the Taylorcraft’s wreckage, after being informed by the FAA that the incident must be reported.
Jacob, an American native, gained Internet popularity by performing acts deering-do such as leaping his snowboard above a moving train.
Jacob created a buzz online in 2018, when he took off from a friend’s roof with a skateboard to land on the pool.