# Pilots, lawyers, etc: Let's talk about Trevor Jacob, YouTuber who may have intentionally crashed his plane for publicity **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2022, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985 "2022-03-13T19:46:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/41 "2022-04-25T20:45:12Z")
Came in the thread to mention this. As far as I know, neither the pilot swap nor the youtuber had FAA permission to abandon their planes in flight. I’m confident Red Bull pilot(s) will face the same results for crashing their plane as Trevor, and the fact they’re backed by a $15 billion company will have no effect on this judgement. And for the next aviation stunt, pigs will fly. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/42 "2022-04-26T15:20:59Z")
Jacob posted a new video on Saturday in which he shows himself returning his pilot’s license, shows some of the TV coverage he’s gotten in the last week, saying he didn’t expect to “ruffle so many feathers,” and hawks some really tacky merch to cover his legal fees. Unsurprisingly, he says nothing specific about the incident, but he thanks his supporters while recognizing that the aviation community is pretty solidly against him. Although at one point he says he may not try to get his license back, as he puts it in the mailbox, he says to it, “See you in 10 months.” That’s because, according to an email he puts at the end of the video, the FAA, for reasons not disclosed, agreed to “settle” by lowering the revocation period to ten months from one year. WTF? Why did FAA have to settle? Could it be because their letter attributed a motive to him that they couldn’t possibly prove, e.g., that he did it to get views? (I thought it was odd that they’d make that claim.) Could his lawyer have threatened them with a defamation suit? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSETYutbcbI) ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/43 "2022-04-26T15:41:24Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > WTF? Why did FAA have to settle? Possibly just to get him to waive an appeal which, while the FAA probably wasn’t too worried about the outcome, would have cost time and money. Money and administrative efficiency are powerful motivators to a bureaucracy. It’s one reason the IRS finds it much easier to go after wage-earners and low-level fraudsters than billionaires. That’s just me hazarding a guess, though. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/44 "2022-04-27T00:16:56Z")
More likely, I think, that the FAA didn’t settle, and did in fact permanently revoke his license, and he’s just lying about it. Like he’s lied about, oh, everything. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/45 "2022-04-27T00:20:21Z")
To be clear, from the part of the video (or one of the videos) I did watch, it didn’t sound like he would get the license back in 10 months or in 12, but that 10 months is when he could submit an application for… something. Whether the application would be accepted/granted or not is less clear. Reminds me of how my undergrad would handle suspensions. It wasn’t “you’re suspended for the spring semester, but we look forward to seeing you back in the fall” but “you’re suspended for the spring semester, at which point we might consider your application for re-admission.” ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/46 "2022-04-27T02:39:59Z")
Unless he faked the e-mail he posted in the last two seconds of the video, the FAA offered him the settlement I described above. The link below is cued to that point in the video, but you need to hit play and then pause immediately. (If anyone knows of a way to link to a specific frame of a YT video without having to host a screen grab, let me know. The e-mail is at t=07m04s and the video ends at t=07m06s.) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSETYutbcbI) ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/47 "2022-04-27T10:04:16Z")
The email in question says “lowering your one-year reapplication period to 10 months” (although, instead of “lowering”, it says “lowing”). This looks to me like the FAA is saying that they will let him reapply for his license in 10 months, like **ASL\_v2.0** said. Whether that reapplication will be approved or not… that may be another story! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/48 "2022-04-27T10:26:21Z")
“Always Wear Your Parachute”, according to his shirt. Uh-huh. Do small plane pilots typically always wear a parachute? ETA: Is _he_ even wearing a parachute there at the end? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/49 "2022-04-27T11:12:50Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > This looks to me like the FAA is saying that they will let him reapply for his license in 10 months, like **ASL\_v2.0** said. And like I said, too. > [@JoseB](#): > > Whether that reapplication will be approved or not… that may be another story! Let’s hope! He has really become a case of _[backpfeifengesicht](https://germanyinusa.com/2019/02/22/word-of-the-week-backpfeifengesicht/#:~:text=Well%2C%20Germans%20have%20a%20unique,and%20Gesicht%20means%20%E2%80%9Cface%E2%80%9D.)_. I want to see him smacked down. Hard. ---
**Author:** ![3AxisCtrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/ecd19e/32.png) [@3AxisCtrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3AxisCtrl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/50 "2022-04-27T11:59:38Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Do small plane pilots typically always wear a parachute? No. Sailplane pilots commonly do. Aerobatic pilots are required to. > [@](#): > > ETA: Is _he_ even wearing a parachute there at the end? Seat belts are apparent, but no parachute harness or container. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/51 "2022-04-27T12:31:56Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Came in the thread to mention this. As far as I know, neither the pilot swap nor the youtuber had FAA permission to abandon their planes in flight. > > I’m confident Red Bull pilot(s) will face the same results for crashing their plane as Trevor, and the fact they’re backed by a $15 billion company will have no effect on this judgement. The FAA explicitly denied them permission to perform the stunt. They went ahead and did it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/52 "2022-04-27T14:11:00Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Red Bull gives you wings…and gravity takes them away, Red Bull gives you wings…& the FAA will revoke your ability to use them. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/53 "2022-04-30T18:07:04Z")
An air safety executive and a lawyer for the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association discuss the Trevor Jacob and Red Bull cases. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XYE7-XSSz0I/maxresdefault.jpg "AOPA Safety and Legal Discuss Potential Legal Troubles Facing Trevor Jacob and Red Bull Stunt Pilots") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYE7-XSSz0I) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/54 "2022-05-01T08:46:26Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > ETA: Is _he_ even wearing a parachute there at the end? > [@3AxisCtrl](#): > > No. Sailplane pilots commonly do. Aerobatic pilots are required to. > > Seat belts are apparent, but no parachute harness or container. What it looks like (from front view) when wearing a parachute: [![](https://www.norcalsoaring.org/uploads/1/0/0/6/100675970/screen-shot-2018-08-05-at-8-23-20-am_orig.png) ](https://www.norcalsoaring.org/uploads/1/0/0/6/100675970/screen-shot-2018-08-05-at-8-23-20-am_orig.png) Shoulder straps, chest straps, crotch straps. (Photo by _Senegoid_ ! ) ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/55 "2023-05-12T12:38:35Z")
Update for news: [Youtuber Jacob Trevor has been sentenced to 20 years in prison](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/12/youtuber-who-staged-plane-crash-faces-20-years-in-jail) for his reckless stunt. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/56 "2023-05-12T12:42:36Z")
Article doesn’t say sentenced, article says “pleads guilty” to charges which carry a sentence of up to 20 years. I wouldn’t expect 20 years for the crash stunt, but the confessed attempt to destroy evidence afterwards is much more serious, I think. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/57 "2023-05-12T13:42:51Z")
Overwhelmingly when you plead guilty you have a plea deal. I would guess they have a deal of something like a few years probation and a large fine. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/58 "2023-05-12T14:01:26Z")
I think you’re right. I’m glad this clown is facing consequences for his reckless stunt, but there’s nothing to be gained by locking him up. A whopping fine and a couple of years of probation is just, I feel. Would be nice if the FAA permanently yanked his pilot’s license and YouTube demonetized his channel, though. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/59 "2023-05-12T14:47:52Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Article doesn’t say sentenced, article says “pleads guilty” to charges which carry a sentence of up to 20 years. Dangit. Sorry for the mistype. I’ve done this a few times recently. I need to slow down and think before I write. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985/60 "2023-05-12T14:58:52Z")
Not entirely your fault, it was also a pathetically sensationalist deceptive clickbait headline. You see this so frequently from third rate journalists - “faces 20 years in jail” is just complete nonsense, it is technically true only because there is a wide range of possible sentences for acts of a wide range of seriousness that would fall under the category of offense. You could write an equally deceptive headline “may face only slap on the wrist” prior to knowing the actual sentence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilots-lawyers-etc-lets-talk-about-trevor-jacob-youtuber-who-may-have-intentionally-crashed-his-plane-for-publicity/960985.md?page=4)