Trevor Daniel Jacob, 29, filmed himself parachuting from the plane before it crashed into a forested area in California and uploaded it to YouTube under the title I Crashed My Airplane in December 2021.

He reported the crash to authorities as an accident, claiming that the aircraft had suffered a complete loss of power and he was forced to abandon it.

After being told that he had to preserve the crash site for an investigation, he and a friend removed the wreckage by helicopter and disposed of it.

The US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said Mr Jacob has agreed to plead guilty to one count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

He is expected to make his initial court appearance in the coming weeks.

His pilot license was previously revoked by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in April 2022.