US Teen Influencer Stuck In Antarctica After Landing Plane There Illegally Amid Charity Mission

A globe-trotting teen pilot and social media star has agreed to make a hefty donation to avoid standing trial after an unscheduled Antarctic detour landed him in hot water with Chilean authorities.

Ethan Guo, a 19-year-old Chinese American with a Guinness World Record in his sights, found himself grounded—literally—when he landed his Cessna 182Q on Chile’s King George Island earlier this summer without permission.

The single-engine, four-seater light aircraft, affectionately named Whiskey Tango, touched down in the icy territory 75 miles off the coast of Antarctica despite Guo telling officials he was heading to Punta Arenas in Chile. Authorities say he filed “false plan data” to make it happen.

Guinness World Records currently lists the youngest person to fly solo around the world at age 17—a record Guo has been gunning for since he was 13.

The teen recalled:

“After a bunch of digging, I was, I think, 13 at that time. I looked it up, and it turns out the youngest person to fly around the world was 20 years old."

"And I was like, I’m 13. It’s like, what, seven years? I could definitely do that. It’s easy — easy.”

Guo’s aviation résumé is impressive for someone who can’t yet legally rent a car in most states. Born in Tianjin, China, and now living in West Palm Beach, Florida, he first took the controls at age 13, earned his private pilot license four years later, and has since logged over 700 flight hours across 48 U.S. states.

His Cessna is stocked with a desert survival kit, an inflatable raft for water landings, and—after his latest escapade—probably more thermal gear than an REI catalogue.

Guo told the reporters:

“I promised myself no matter what, I’ll get this done. If it’s the last thing I do, so be it, I want to get this done no matter what.”

The “this” is an ambitious mission he launched from Memphis in May 2024: 50,000 miles in 100 days, 60 countries, and all seven continents, to raise $1 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The trip, inspired by his cousin’s Stage 4 blood cancer diagnosis, has so far brought in just over $131,000.

Along the way, Guo has been documenting stops from Geneva to Greece for his 1.4 million Instagram followers, mixing aspirational captions with cockpit glamour shots.

His latest post can be viewed here:

But Chile’s aviation officials were less impressed. Prosecutor Cristián Cristoso said Guo’s unauthorized landing violated the Chilean Aeronautical Code and “multiple national and international” rules, creating a safety hazard for other air traffic. The charges carried potential prison time or fines.

Disputing the claim of an illegal landing, the teen posted on X yesterday evening:

So, it was just a scenic stop?

Severe winter weather in the Southern Hemisphere stranded Guo at the military base for six weeks while his plane sat idle. On Monday, a judge agreed to drop the case if he donates $30,000 to a children’s cancer charity named “Fundación Nuestros Hijos” within 30 days.

The deal also requires him to cover all expenses for his “aircraft security and personal maintenance” during detention, pay for his return, leave Chile as soon as conditions allow, and steer clear of Chilean territory for the next three years.

The internet, of course, had thoughts—some hailing him as a daring young philanthropist, others questioning their life choices at the age of 19, and why the heck is it illegal to land in Antarctica?

In a text to the Associated Press, Guo said he was “relieved by the outcome” and is now waiting for clearance to depart so he can continue his mission. He still hopes to raise at least $1 million to fight childhood cancer.

Whether this saga ends with a Guinness World Record or simply the footnote “Teen Who Got Stuck in Antarctica After Lying to Air Traffic Control” remains to be seen.

But aviation fans can cheer on the teen’s return home from his website at: https://www.ethansflightagainstcancer.com/.

May your next detour be legal, Ethan!