The Controversial Plane Crash of David Lesh

A Beechcraft Bonanza A36 flown by the controversial figure David Lesh suffered a power loss resulting in a forced water landing off the coast of Half Moon Bay in California. Another pilot flying a Cessna 182 filmed the event from above. The shocking footage of the event brought about national attention as the event blew up online. This sparked debate into the true nature of the plane crash and intent of those involved.
Video credits:
Plane crash footage and interviews by Matt Guthmiller: • He Just Crashed His Pl...
News interview with David Lesh: • Was Pilot’s Selfie Vid...
Coast guard helicopter: • Coast Guard Helicopter...
0:00 The crash
1:56 The rescue
4:41 Controversy arises
6:52 How did this all start?
8:24 The day of the crash
10:22 Why did the engine quit?
11:24 David's questionable history

[@listigt]

What a gentleman to have the rescuers take him before his passenger.

[@CharlieTheNerd91]

I am pretty sure it is not up to him to decide; rescuers usually determine who is worse off. I agree it looks counterintuitive, but there was likely a reason, maybe she had better floatation.

[@troyfoster6004]

Sounds to me like it was a legitimate crash but the pilot knew he could take advantage of the opportunity to score some attention and promote his businesses.

[@ethanmcintosh1777]

Id say this is pretty spot on

[@asya9493]

@@ethanmcintosh1777 Yes but seriously poor airmanship for continuing with a known fuel problem. These systems are dead simple and very resilient, which makes for failures that take a while to develop. The fact that any trend is actually developing at all means that it's time for a force landing plan while enroute to the nearest suitable runway !

[@SharkyMoto]

unlike the other "accident", i think this one is real. the main reason is that ejecting out of a plane with a parachute is fairly safe, there was little to go wrong on that stunt. shut the engine off, trim the plane forward, jump out, land with a parachute on land. a water landing however can go many ways, its an order of magnitudes more risky than bailing out of a plane with a skydiving rig. another factor is taking a passenger with you, if he was alone, well yeah maybe hes gonna take the risk, but i dont think he would have risked the life of his girlfriend(?) over that, especially considering his company seems to do fairly well anyways. his previous record of stunts, while "dangerous" didnt show anything life threatening.

[@cmdrriotz5283]

If you fly over water, always bring flotation devices.

[@The.Alabama.Woodsman]

Fake or not, no way in Hell you are bringing me up before my lady/wife!

[@LFOD1776]

I was just about to comment on that. That guy is a simp.

[@TheStudderman]

Couldn’t agree more.

[@danieltait123]

I thought the exact same

[@domicceareal5234]

First thing I thought as well.

[@asya9493]

That would be the rescue crewman's choice, and both would be doing as they were told.

[@ktheghoul7644]

Nice video! Your editing and research is great and you've compiled the research into an interesting and informative video. Stay safe, can't wait for your next video!

[@ethanmcintosh1777]

Thank you! Looking forward to making more

[@markknochenhauer9640]

My fist reaction to this crash was as a stunt but as I read more reports it appeared to be more likely poor decision to continue his flight when he knew of the fuel flow problem

[@thomasallan8113]

Foolish/insane decision to continue this flight.

[@Hopgop1]

Nice roundup, thanks

[@michaelsais2243]

Would also like to read the insurance investigation report

[@timjohnson1578]

good thing David Lesh documented the whole thing and they both kept smiling and wooooooing for the camera. I wish the coast guard would have thrown his Camera out of the window....

[@OstrichProduction]

Great video,you got this 90% dialed in. Some tweaking with your lighting and camera placement, along with a bit more off script wording, would do great to show your personality. I'm going to share your video on Reddit to help with the algorithm Gods. Keep on doing this, you're about to start a career.

[@ethanmcintosh1777]

Really means a lot! The feedback is much appreciated. Got some more video ideas in the works. Really want to prioritize quality over quantity.

[@jackswiatek5221]

Finding time to videotape while sinking is just .... what it is.

[@sb75ification]

And he (the captain) takes the first hoist up leaving her (his passenger) in the water to wait. Looks like a classic case of narcissism

[@kaleishiacann8129]

Was just thinking the exact same thing, he should have been the one to wait in the water while they brought her up first

[@Jump-n-smash]

What a poor excuse of a man

[@rezin111]

I'm pretty sure the rescue diver makes the decision

[@jonwyner1881]

He was more hypothermic. Coast Guard made the call.

[@chazmo3928]

this is really well done

[@annieb7075]

Well done! I love you ❤️

[@humblyright]

Well done

[@denisrobin2380]

This is explained so good, why does the video only have 3.4k views

[@metro7films]

She is waaay too cheerful. He was dedicated to filming his plight.

[@dogeye]

Nicely done. Your professional narration could be in a Frontline episode.

[@keemez]

he ssssoundssss like a polesssmoking flameboi

[@darwinawardcommittee]

@@keemez Sounds like wishful thinking on your part

[@keemez]

sounds like your head is crammed where the sun don't shine

[@tmpendergrass]

No matter what you think of Lesh, there is no "smoking gun" here and zero evidence for it being fake other than Leshes personality.

[@50727Queen]

commenting for the engagement! hope this gets picked up by the algorithm

[@1shoedog1]

I kinda thought there'd be more sharks around.

[@michaelturocy3319]

Trevor Jacob: He's an amateur, just wait and see my acting.....

[@guymerritt4860]

The guy had done some stunts, but, nothing that could have likely cost him his life. He just upgraded the plane, he's got no life preservers.....and he appears to be an intelligent guy who probably doesn't wanna risk dying young in the hopes of promoting his brand. Seems unlikely to me this was a stunt.

[@malakov5]

Oh damn, is that fly with Owen in the Cessna

[@atro4890]

The best decision i've made in the last month was subscribing to your channel.

[@ethanmcintosh1777]

You're a real one

[@pi.actual]

Debris in fuel, fluctuating fuel flow, need to have aux pump on to keep it running.... Um Yea, I'll take my gal on a flight over the ocean. Stunt or no stunt this guy should voluntarily turn in his wings and give up flying.

[@annyer262]

Given the issues with the fuel system I think the plane should have been grounded until checked by an A&P mechanic. If none were available then a ferry flight over land might be appropriate with no other passengers to get the fuel system checked properly. You want your plane to be able to run with only one fuel pump running when you leave. Then leave with both on, so you have the redundancy in case one fails.

[@osphere]

great job bruh

[@ethanmcintosh1777]

Ayy thanks

[@offtheice]

nice vid, must have taken time

[@mattwoodford1820]

They don't look like they know (or have forgotten) sea survival skills. They should be huddled up floating together to slow down heat loss by sharing body warmth and assisting each other in flotation. bet the prop wash was chilly on the winch!! I think the Trevor Jacob video has set the confirmation bias for many keyboard warriors. In UK law, previous offences are irrelevant to each case in terms of confirming a plea, they are only used if found guilty for sentencing. Pretty sure it's the same in the US. What is definitely the same is Trial by Media which you proved in that interview clip is very much more guilty till proven innocent. I really like how you put these videos together

[@asya9493]

Agreed on media speculation and rumours ! However, don't try the huddling idea. We (military/maritme) tried that in an exercises and it takes a lot of energy to hold on to each other and stay together, due to wave action working on buoyant people in different ways and pulling them in opposite directions. Also it means your arms are up, not down in the 'shiver' position and cold water circulates around the arteries under your arms. Stay together using 5 meter long safety lines with snap hooks (in your survival pouch). Prop wash, yes ! Under a helo it's huge and you can aspirate water plus lose vision. Use a life jacket with a clear vision spray hood.

[@cosmo2002]

always thinking "what if" dont open the door...? the plane may flote indefinitle time or much more at last. Im wrong?

[@saultube44]

I agree with you 100%, only experts can see through this

[@baumkuchen6543]

I would say he is suffering from "KZbinr POS syndrome". Indented or not if your first reaction to everything is to film stuff, you need professional help.

[@supersupersomething]

These two faces together tho, 4:16

[@RWBHere]

The facts that he knew that there was something questionable about the fuel system, and that he proceeded to fly the aircraft, with a passenger, out to sea, miles away from land, and spent his time in the water and on the helicopter filming himself, with both occupants grinning like Cheshire cats throughout the event, tell me that this was a setup, from start to finish. Add to that his history of outlandish stunts and his criminal record, and everything points firmly at this being yet another stunt, and that maybe it didn't quite go according to plan. So convenient that he had a buddy in an accompanying aircraft to video it and to keep the two in sight until rescue arrived. Furthermore, he's certainly no gentleman; he left the woman in the water for a few more minutes while he was rescued first! How (un)gallant of him...

[@publicmail2]

The guy gos first, WTF.

[@scousen3il]

I actually thought the same thing lolz but then, don’t women want equal rights? 😂

[@tjhookit]

@@scousen3il Smart thinking on his part......he knew the feminists would have crucified him had he dare allow the woman to go first.

[@DoubleMonoLR]

@@tjhookit People love to make anything about 'feminists' (or whatever obsession they fixate on), rather extreme & absurd to drag that into this.

[@tjhookit]

@@DoubleMonoLR It was a joke.....relax.

[@mahed82]

Equality

[@jackshittle]

The FAA should have taken the stance of "Oh, so you're flying over the open ocean and you have no life preservers or emergency gear? Then that means your idiot and shouldn't be flying airplanes, so now you are suspended indefinitely." I never had to ditch but if we did I at least know all the difference emergency rafts, first aid kits, radios, signal flares, signal mirrors, sea dye markers, personal flotation on our LPA's etc etc. I couldn't imagine taking the risk of ocean flying with none of those things.

[@asya9493]

Not required for Private operations under FAR ?? Would be for Commercial ops.

[@jackshittle]

@@asya9493 Common sense should make it required (if he had any).

[@asya9493]

​@@jackshittle The big IF ...

[@Ffej702]

lol @7:38

[@templetonpalmer2938]

7:30 🤣😂🤣

[@proudvirginian]

Not so much "a lady" should go first, that's nonsense, but that the passenger should go first. That said, total faith in the USCG to get them both, so either way they were both going to be rescued regardless of who went up first.

[@rcollity]

This guy, David Lesh, is a sleeze-ball. He is hated in Colorado. He's done a ton of trespassing on Prohibited State parks and recorded it.

[@brandonharlow7067]

Don't know the guy but seems like a legitimate crash to me. Especially his response on the news. Who cares if he takes out his camera and tries to make the best of a crappy situation? He was calm because he has done crazy things before and I am sure he knew that keeping calm was his best chance for he and his partner to survive the cold water. It does look a bit weird that he went first on the helicopter but I am sure that was a decision made by the Coast Guard and was likely due to him having worse flotation and hypothermia than the woman. So many people quick to judge somebody without any knowledge of the situation or any of the facts. Everyone is guilty until proven innocent anymore. Why is something like this on the news to begin with? There is no reasonable evidence it was planned and even if it was, then charge him a fine for wasting the Coast Guard's time and don't buy his brand. Plain and simple. The news should just be called "the speculations" anymore. The only thing that doesn't get reported on anymore are facts. Nice video presentation though, love your channel! PS - If it was all planned then shame on him but I would easily give him the benefit of the doubt here

[@MsTatli]

This seems to be a legitimate accident at the same time...it probably served as an inspiration to Trevor

[@louissanderson719]

Continues flying with known contamination in fuel…

[@MachTuck]

Real? ...mmm IDK, ...seems suspicious to me

[@georgebecht6357]

Thanks for your insights. One suggestion, your audio has to much base, making it unpleasant to listen to.

[@mahed82]

😂😂😂 he was lift up first. I love equality

[@darrenstanleysmith5207]

Would ❤ to watch David “Looser” Lesh’s original recording with some beer buddies. Each time we cringe over his douchebaggery we slam another beer🍺

[@larryhoworth8407]

The big problem here is GLIDE. The glide ratio of a Bonanza is about 10 to 1. He should have been able to glide up to 10 miles for every mile of altitude. You say he was at 8,000 feet. That is 1 1/2 miles high. He should have been able to glide up to 15 miles. That is more than enough to reach the coast and perhaps enough to reach the airport. He shows questionable behavior by continuing to fly a plane with known fuel flow issues, taking his GF up in that plane, and then flying over the ocean without ocean ditch equipment. Is he dumb, stupid, or just an idiot? Or perhaps this was a planned stunt as that was his history!

[@HostNayner]

Why the hell did the bring the guy up first?!

[@hoping67]

I think it was an unfortunate accident involving a "character", if he was as boring as a weekend in the cells there would be no questions asked 🤔

[@flux7766]

The fact he decided to go up in the helicopter first is mindblowing, like who actually wouldnt let their significant other or even worse their passanger get rescued first is soo wierd.

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

This was absolutely a stunt. The girl was wearing a wet suit. That SINGLE fact says it all. Stunt.

[@asya9493]

Nope, just the polo shirt. She was not buoyant enough in the water to have been in a wetsuit (the things float).

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

@@asya9493 Gee, that's not what the Coast Guard Report said on top of a picture or 2 I've seen. But what do I know.

[@asya9493]

@@cluelessbeekeeping1322 Dunno. Link ?

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

@@asya9493 Do your own research buddy. Old news.

[@asya9493]

@@cluelessbeekeeping1322 Ha, not worth it.

[@Cavalier-lp8tr]

Sorry, his passenger is smiling and and happy to be on camera every chance she gets. He probably has a fire extinguisher strapped to his leg. Totally staged in my opinion. If I'm not mistaken, that Cesna pilot has his own videos online and flys two brothers around on their adventures (JR Aviation. )

[@TheCowgirlNiamh]

It’s a big risk to land a plane on water as a stunt! I don’t believe it’s fake but leaving the lady in the water and rescuing himself first is a shitty move! Shame on him!

[@lakshethapremanand6024]

biggest fan