RV-10 Fatal Crash Marin County, CA. 6 May 2022 

As a retired airline pilot I have occasionally resorted to short periods of IMC flying in my post-retirement private flying. I found it really interesting how rapidly my IFR skills deteriorated without recurrent training and regular IFR exposure! I now consider myself unsafe in IMC - well, a short letdown or climb through a thin above-terrain cloud layer is OK, but that is about it. Years of intense-weather IFR in a multi-crew cockpit is definitely a handicap in single-pilot private flying. While I did a lot of single-pilot IFR at the beginning of my career, it is no help now. Bottom line: I am older and slower now and, most important, I have been there, done that and know first-hand how little it takes to screw things up.

I fly seaplane tours over that area on weekends. That Friday we cancelled all flights due to dense fog. I wish he would have done the same.

An ATC perspective here, from a controller who is also a flight instructor -- if a pilot needs to climb to avoid terrain in a situation like this, I agree that it may well be the best way to save your life. But if there is busy airspace above, the pilot should tell ATC as soon as possible, and if not talking to ATC then it's good to squawk the 7700 code so we see you climbing. And whenever you do talk to ATC, please keep the wings level or the bank angle small so as not to lose control. (These are my personal thoughts, not official FAA policies. I'm speaking with my CFI hat on, so to speak)

When I worked with new instrument students, I made myself a big PITA on purpose about not going out and getting into situations like this, and I would tell them, "quite frankly I don't want to be standing there at your funeral explaining to your family what you did wrong. I want you to listen to me now so that never happens." From what I know, they have all taken that advice to heart. If you are a student.....don't make these mistakes.

I appreciate this info. Pilot was a personal friend and great person and father.

Juan, I am the other owner of this aircraft and was made aware of your channel by a friend. Very fair and straight forward description of what happened. I am also a professional pilot and understand the concerns here with the advanced cockpit, declining weather, and poor communication between ATC and Pilot. I am grieving heavily and would normally not comment on such a thing as I don't have all the facts, don't know the mindset of the pilot or other factors that may have gone wrong last Friday. That being said I have read all the comments here and would like to clear a few things up so a fair and hopefully helpful discussion can occur going forward on this particular incident. 1. The pilot here was very studious, he flew with me for many many hours, for at least the first year he owned this with me he flew it with my self or an instructor. He got his license in a Cessna so that his basic navigation skills would be solid. He then did anything he could to learn the glass cockpit, many days dragging me to the airport to just answer questions. I will say this thing is more advanced than my Gulfstream so there is a high learning curve which he took seriously. 2. In no way was he trying to show off to a girl, they had been together for years and their friendship was amazing. She had flown with us many times. 3. Putting any blame on this being an experimental aircraft is flawed. The wings didn't fall off, it doesn't seem as if the engine quit. Many of our friends own Vans or other experimentals with thousands of hours of flight time, they are very safe and well designed. When operated properly they can provide a rewarding experience. On a personal note: We can all blame lack of training, poor decision making, bad luck etc. The cause of many aircraft accidents is usually a series of events that chain together to cause the ultimate outcome. I have Monday morning quarterbacked this thing 700 ways till Sunday. Many of the commenters here are correct IF he'd of done this, or IF he'd have done that they would be alive today. Maybe true to some extent but remember when you were a new pilot and got into a situation that was over your head. Your heart is pumping, your scared to death and the fact that the aircraft is probably screaming at you to look out for the terrain in what had to be a severe downdraft coming over that hill (which is pretty steep) proved to be over whelming. I miss my friend and wished he'd done many of the things you all are saying. End of the day it's a terrible outcome, I hope that you all can appreciate he was trying to get that experience and judgement that this piece is saying is lacking in our new pilots.

I think ATC could have been a bit more helpful. After repeated requests on a route to HMB, ATC should recognize that they guy was confused / lost, and given him a bit more direction than simply "stay clear of Bravo".

That must be one scarey situation to find yourself in. RIP to both victims.

My RV-8 is equipped with a Garmin Aera 660. I fly in the mountains alot and always have my terrain avoidance window activated. I agree with Juan..this sounds like a relatively inexperienced pilot getting himself into a bad situation in terms of highly variable IMC in the vicinity of steep/high terrain. I know the crash area well. One second you're in the clear, the next second you're in the soup. So much comes down to cockpit decision-making. My decision-making process is very simple...if I even ask myself if something is safe or not, the answer is automatically "no". I'm still here after 45 years of active flying, so I must be doing something right. You cannot be "too safe".

The Bay Area is my own playground and I have cancelled Bay Tours many times due to the marine layer conditions. We'll go play over by Byron or over the Delta where it's usually severe clear, even if the Bay is completely socked in. The Half Moon Bay tour is a ton of fun and very pretty when conditions permit; however, I would never push my luck with that marine layer.

When I took my flying lessons the instructor was a former TopGun pilot. He always emphasized the pilots creed. when you get into trouble, "Whatever you do, don't fu#k this up." He pointed out that just because you're not instrument rated, it doesn't mean you can't use them to get out of trouble, that is what they're there for. It just means you can't file a flight plan under IFR. In fog or marine layer, I was taught too know where you are, point the plane away from hills and big airports and get above the muck. Then once up there, take a few breaths and re-group.

You gave such excellent advice to the VFR pilot no matter how much instrumentation on the plane: point away from the obstruction, climb into the airspace, call the tower, declare an emergency.

Juan, i am very familiar with this area and used to fly the Bay Tour often. (My Grumman Cheetah was at Petaluma and later Gnoss Field in Novato.) But..as a VFR pilot I always checked the weather and would look closely and often at my surrounding weather once in the air. As I am sure you know, the weather, fog, clouds, wind speed and direction, etc can change VERY quickly around the mouth of the SF Bay (Golden Gate Bridge). My guess is that this pilot was not familiar with our rapidly changing weather situation.

Thanks Juan. I had a conversation with the pilot about two years ago when he wanted to buy his first airplane. At the time he was thinking about different aircraft options, but this had nothing to do with the accident obviously. A friend of mine is very close with the pilot and girlfriend who deceased and is mourning the loss of close friends. I think your description is spot on. RIP.

As the builder of an IFR-capable RV6-A, news of this accident makes me sick. Things may have changed considerably in the 20 years since I finished my project, but it used to be that Van’s Aircraft and knowledgeable builders warned others that the RV series was never intended for IFR flight, and I discovered why when early one winter morning I had the opportunity to practice recovering from a real graveyard spiral encountered during an attempted escape from an unpredicted snowstorm in mountains east of Kingman, AZ. RV aircraft are very sensitive sport airplanes neutrally stable in pitch and roll when properly trimmed. It doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to overdo control inputs in a blind turn, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if that’s what happened to this pilot. Two aviators and a beautiful airplane lost. How sad!

Thank you, Juan. My wife lost a dear friend in this crash. When I saw video from the day of the crash I thought "spatial disorientation" in the fog. Of course, we'll have to wait for the FAA, but thanks for your very helpful presentation.

I have always said this as a CFI. If you get confused and are getting disoriented. DECLARE. Go through the Bravo and into clouds. Deal with whatever happens when you land safely. So many pilots fear of what will happen ext. I can promise you its much better then crashing.

So rough seeing how close they were to clearing the ridge (not that they wouldn't have encountered terrain after that if they couldn't get out of the fog). There is a GA crash site near where I live in Catskill Mountains - similar situation - just failed to clear the limb of a mountain by 100 ft or so (also due to weather). Always such an uneasy feeling hiking in that area and thinking about how such a small difference made *all* the difference for that pilot. Thanks for all you do trying to prevent these accidents, Juan...

Spot on Juan - it was an emergency. Damn it.

So sorry for the relatives. Thank you, Juan for your report.

Wow. That's right above Conzelman where I used to cycle from Alameda two days a week. The cloud cover there can vary in minutes. I took some friends up to the top of the road, which is around 800 feet. When we got there we had clear views of the bridge and the city. Ten minutes later we were in solid cloud. All in a strong wind too, the marine layer is sucked into the bay by the onshore breeze driven by hot air rising inland. From Grizzly Peak, above Berkeley at around 2,000 feet, you could look down on the blanket of fog with the towers of the GG bridge sticking out. A very very bad place to be in IMC.

What’s missing from the conversation is the fear of a violation or some sort of recourse in the pilot’s mind disrupting the process of flying the aircraft to a safe escape. As that internal debate of whether or not to declare an emergency evolves, the aircraft continues to deviate from a steady state condition and the pilot becomes further disoriented. Until there is a solid policy from the FAA putting safety first, this internal debate will continue to be a causative factor in aircraft accidents. There have been pilots who did the right thing and asked for help during IIMC in mountainous terrain, only to have the local FSDO seek abrasive action against them after they and their passengers survived the event. That type of experience may lead that pilot to not seek help again if the event were to occur to him or those who he speaks with about the possible repercussions of getting help.

I’m a low time pilot so the end of the video was very educational on statistics . I always ask more experienced pilots how long it took them to get comfortable. They all respond the same way . Don’t get comfortable ! Great video

Sad. It is so sad to see this happening even with 3 glass panels with moving maps and synthetic vision and artificial terrain . . . . . . and the most important of all - the LvL button.

I received my private in 1994, and moved to California in 2018. When I received my updated license with my new California address, the date of issue was shown as 2018, not 1994. At least in my case, the date of issue shown on my license is when my updated license was issued, not when I initially received my private. Unless this was an oversight error by the FAA, I'm not sure you can determine a pilot's experience by the issue date on their license.

Coming to and from SF, it is very easy to forget that it can be sunny and 90F+ anywhere inland and foggy, cold and miserable between 100ft and 1500ft anywhere near the coast. Especially around the summer months.

I think a lot of this has to do with a new pilots perspective on ATC. They are often viewed as a traffic cop, just waiting for you to violate the rules then they will bust you. I think this makes a lot of pilots very hesitant to declare an emergency when the actual reality is that if you do declare, you’ll have their full attention but not in a bad way. They will do everything they can to get you on the ground in one piece. Yes, you might get yelled at a bit but you’ll still be alive..... I was taught early on that ATC is my best friend if I get in trouble, and they actually are. Don’t be afraid of them.

I have been in a similar situation, scud running over rising terrain with falling cloud layer. This Pilot was also dealing with complex airspace and trying to follow the rules (mistake). I can imagine the terrain warnings and then as he maneuvered wildly, maybe even a simultaneous stall warning, must have been awful. Having gotten lucky once (just luck) my advice is this; there is no good way out so don’t let it happen. I shudder when I think about my experience.

I tangled with that marine layer once back in 1988. Went all the way out to GOBBS to get under it and scud run back to the shoreline. Once was enough

I have been in a similar situation, pushing on when I should have turned around. I tried to stay VFR but the speed rising super rapidly, the altimeter spinning in a blur, rate of climb and descent pegged, revs thru the roof........pulling back but things just get worse! Wanting to quit, but no one to help. "Power back to idle to reduce rate of descent. Roll wings level using Artificial Horizon; pull hard and hope.....when the little bird WELL up into the blue, full power, trim...." I thank my superb RAF training for saving my life - learning to keep emotions out of things - they do not help. TRY! CAVU skies to all pilots.

I was driving south on 101 just after the accident. The fog was very heavy at times with high winds.

I remember driving across the GG Bridge that day it was dense fog all day at bridge level (220 ft). I could barely see the cars in front of me. Boy, not a day for VFR flying.

Thanks Juan. I have relatives up in the Sonoma County area so we often cross the Golden Gate Bridge on our way up there from SFO (San Francisco Int’l Airport). I can attest the area right around the bridge can get foggy, and be hard to see even when driving in a car, depending on how low and how thick the fog / marine layer is. I know SFO is also a very busy airport and they do close parallel landings. Captain Joe did a video on that awhile back.

Well said sir, regarding the glass panel, "you're only as good as your training allows" ...lots of money to purchase these avionics won't help you if your pilot training hasn't reached that level of proficiency.

Juan, early in my flying career I was fortunate to be given the advice to always maintain a clear horizon to achieve VMC. I found this was much easier to implement practically rather than applying the “legal” definition. This could be a life-saver!

Another factor i haven't seen mentioned, that hill sets a Rotor wave frequently. It can be observed often over the headlands. As someone who sails the area often, there are strong gusting downdraft off most off of that area. Also has a venturi affect which reaches several hundred yards windward of the bridge . 15-30 knots not uncommon. Sad decision to fly into higher terrain. Condolences to the friends n family. Keep it coming Juan.

Thank you Capt. Browne for the briefing.

Thanks Jaun for another quality video and sound advice on low time pilots. I sit in this category myself and perhaps I'm over cautious when it comes to cloud and getting tied up in bad weather however I feel its best to be on the right side of it rather than tangled up in it. Planning to get myself a full instrument rating and stay proficient with IFR flying. Best wishes from me the UK.

Hey Juan, local bay area pilot here. Not that it matters to this accident, but that little Bravo "notch" down along the Pacific coast is not down to the surface, it's a "shelf" at 1600ft giving you a clear path down the coastline, without flying way out over the water. Just wanted to clarify that... it's an easy one to miss on the standard sectional chart... always important to look at the TAC view :)

As said below, Well Done Juan. Your calm and analytical description of what probably happened, without personal bias, separates you from a lot of the others that do this. They too have their place to drive home the point of the mistakes being made over and over. We can always come here for just the facts. Thanks.

Great video Juan….This poor pilot was in over his head when he flew into IMC. What ever happened to making a 180 and getting the heck out of there! See the GG bridge another day.

Indeed the Rosie path of destruction. Very sad! Thanks for your quick and thorough update!

My uncle was a a Pan Am Clipper captain. After confessing to him a couple dumb things a had done as a new pilot, he said, “If you live through them, they will make you into a good pilot. But if possible, let someone else pay the tuition.”

Very sad, but you are a good trainer Juan. Thanks for your expertise.

Years ago I kept my 152 at a grass strip across the street from my house. I was down to about one hours fuel on board so I needed to fly to the airport to fuel up. I took off around eight AM into clear weather. The flight was a maximum of fifteen minutes. Houston weather can change in a just a few minutes. A fog set in over the airport I was heading to. I flew around for another fifteen minutes VFR trying to find a cleaning but no luck. Luckily there was a radio tower that I was aware of that was west of the field about one mile. I spotted it and took the chance to lower altitude. Thank goodness the fog was not on the ground but about 20 feet above it and that gave me enough to spot what looked like the airport. Said a little prayer and aimed for it. I landed safely but I know it could have been much worse. Also the fuel gage was showing empty on both tanks. Thank you Lord.

What you said about new pilots is absolutely true. Back in my day, there was no such "glass cockpit" available nor GPS or cell phones. I wonder if all that stuff gives pilots a false sense of security and if they fly with such equipment all the time, are they able to fly without it if need be? I used to be that pilots were required to do all their navigation via charts, VFR was dead reckoning.

Oh, boy. So sad. We just don’t seem to get better at avoiding the “continued VFR into IFR conditions.

Like many of the other comments here I have also flown the bay tour VFR. However, i’m very conservative about the weather on this type of flight. Due to the low altitude required to fly under the bravo air space I don’t want to have to worry about fog or the marine layer as an extra complication. Pilot workload is high enough with all of the radio work, maintaining altitude, and navigation. If there is a Marine layer and or fog I just wait for a better day. It’s very tragic to keep seeing the same sort of accidents happen over and over. Thank you Juan, for the recap and safety reminders. Fly safe everybody.

Back in the days when I served on Marine vessels I recall the expression "Radar controlled collision" i.e. master the basics before relying upon technology!!!

I am from Marin county i grew up there. I am also a private pilot got licensed at Gnoss field. I know how the fog is i have flown many hours above and around it. Ok first thing to know fog is probably the main cause of imc. Not clouds above. Many people like to fly the coast route down to Santa Cruz. Its tempting to try to fly around it but the thing is it comes from the ocean and you cannot fly west to get around it. It does not build fast its a gradual build up rarely exceeding 200o feet in altitude I had the misfortune of being a passenger while a pp was following another aircraft south over the coast waters as he was about to enter the fog i aggressively reminded him he was not qualified to do so.

The one conversation that could have saved their lives, "Tower I'm in IMC and need vectors out, so I can climb on top."

Thank you for saying clearly what good options are once you're in a situation like that. Use tools like the autopilot. Don't hesitate to declare an emergency.

Thanks for adding the photos of the unfortunate individuals at the end of your report Juan. Really brings it home that a lot of hopes and dreams met an unfortunate conclusion that day. Reminds us they are more than just "some other person"

Sigh….😞Just an aviation enthusiast only here and I have learned much from your channel and Dan Gryder’s! Condolences , so sad for the children.

He used the autopilot the whole trip down. Why didn’t he set it to climb and return till he got clear of the weather? Also did he not run through the whole trip route before the flight?

It happened to me on one of my first solo-cross-country-flights. Flight from Goodyear to Blythe- VFR. I was aware that bad weather was ahead but did not pay much attention because I had Zero experience. I looked at my charts for a short moment and when I looked up, all was just white. In clouds. After a minute I heard the engine RPM go up. I was in a dive, 5 degrees nose down. I shat my pants, forced myself to look at the artificial horizon and made a 180 turn. After 90 seconds I was in VMC again. Young pilots should be forced to learn this on their first theory-lesson. GET THE FUCK OUT or you DIE.

Looks like he was so close to clearing the top of the Hill. May not have seen the hill until they were 50-100 feet away and there was not enough time to react. Horrible way to die. Crash/Bang, it's over. The Fog at the Golden Gate Bridge is fascinating. The top of the Bridge Tower is 750 feet. The Roadway is 250 feet. Sometimes the Fog is below, at or above the Roadway and below the top of the Bridge Tower.

The marine layer fog can be very variable and move in quickly. I fly the Bay Tour frequently, and it isn't uncommon for the fog move significantly between laps around the bay. One time, we did a nice pass along the Golden Gate Bridge with the fog a 1/4 mile outside the GGB, and by the time we did a loop around Alcatraz and Angel Island, the fog was half way to Alcatraz. The marine layer usually isn't very thick or high, and it is often possible to fly over it while still being under the Bravo.

And the probable cause, like so, so many others, will be like this: "Continued VFR flight into IMC by a non instrument rated pilot, resulting in a collision with terrain..." Another great report, Juan.

I'm a low time GA pilot (~3,000 hrs), but I believe it's worth mentioning TAWS (Terrain Awareness and Warning System) equipment relative to this accident. Most fundamental glass cockpits now-a-days have TAWS software available. I don't fly much without TAWS, even in the flatland of the Atlantic Piedmont.

Thanks for keeping us informed and how inexperience can lead to these accidents.

Thank you so much for the video!! My home airport is in the Bay Area and we do these bay tours frequently. As a freshly minted pilot your expertise in what should be done in situations like this is invaluable. Love to the pilot & passenger’s family.

Sincere thanks Juan, 2 statements in this video hit home for me. I appreciate the good advice.

So happy I was able to get my ratings before the GPS craze. I had not flown for a while and hopped into a rental Cessna 172 with an instructor. Plane was equipped with a G 1000. I was not familiar with that particular set up and most definitely it is a task overload trying to learn while flying. I had even studied the manual quite a bit prior to the flight. My simple GNS 430 could be a handful if you did not know its functions.

I have been right where he went in while filming time lapse of the marine layer wafting in. Chilling and heartbreaking seeing how very close he was to clearing the ridge line. This sort of analysis can help a lot of people. Thanks again, Juan.

Indeed the Rosie path of destruction. Very sad! Thanks for your quick and thorough update

Thank you for this report, RB, Nova Scotia.

Continued VFR flight into IMC with subsequent loss of control or CFIT, is a situation we do not need more of in GA. Perhaps what is needed is incorporating more "under the hood" time during student pilot training with an eye towards practicing an emergency escape from weather maneuver including mock calls to ATC. If a licensed GA pilot is up for his BFR, and is not instrument-rated and current, have them demonstrate the same maneuver at that time. The FAA could improve air safety (their mandate) by requiring this addendum to flight training and the BFR along with a more conciliatory attitude towards minor pilot infractions of the FARs by offering re-education rather than punitive measures.

I flew out of DVO only 15 minutes before this accident, the cloud layer wasn’t thick at all as I was IFR in the climb heading south. Sad. Totally different outcome if they just climbed into the clear.

So sad, we have to get the message out that non-instrument rated pilots should avoid IMC at all costs!

I have a friend that is building a VAN. It has taken him 4 years of work. I asked him recently if he is still keeping up his pilots license and flying and he said he was taking a break. Glad to know about this....TY. יוי

The hills there are about 1000' and the floor of the controlled Class B space was 3000' . If he had stayed above 1500, he would be clear of any terrain through San Francisco and the headlands area. So he had some space to work with probable 1000' or more above the marine layer. A fellow tour bus driver did not stop at the bridge view on Friday because it was obscured. Know the terrain elevation and stay above it if there is any question at all. He should have been able to stay legal and VFR at 1500'-2000' with a set off headings figured in advance. Plan for the adverse and you are ready if it happens.

Great advice, as always, Juan.

When I was in High School flying with My Father in his SIX …… he trained me in case he became incapacitated, to FIRST engage the Autopilot ……. Before broadcasting on 121.5 for an IAD call. It is incredibly sad how many distracted Pilots ….. perish for lack of utilizing their Autopilot Systems. Godspeed

7:14 or perhaps they were taking photos - sounds to me like a spur of the moment decision in the cockpit to go there being so unprepared, but then made it out over the bridge. To me it looks more like they were manoeuvring to "see the bridge and take it in" and I can only imagine that with marine layers the bridge popping through the cloud would have been spectacular. I think they were just so consumed with this that things got away from the pilot. Would be interesting to find out if they were taking photos.

Good video Juan...and calling it right. Tragic...but definitely well put about knowing about IMC....

In this area you have up to 3000 feet for VFR flight without radio comms. That is about 600 feet above Mt Tam. If it is foggy at all, Half Moon Bay is a bad choice of destination. Airspace around HMB can take you down to 2100. Which can put you very close to the coastal mountains at HMB.

Rules: 1) Don't run out of gas. 2) Don't fly in weather you or the plane don't belong in. 3) Don't fly an unairworthy aircraft. 4) Don't stall. If a pilot finds themselves inadvertently in IMC, immediately fess up, declare an emergency and get help. File an ASAP report and you're good to go.

I have been a private pilot since 1981. Fly a Bonanza. My instrument instructor years ago impressed upon me that whenever things get tough or scary your most important thing is to know the or a correct or safe altitude and heading and fly it till you sort things out. Sometimes it might been just turning to a cardinal heading or VOR or airport and nail the altitude precisely. Turns are just a new heading. Have an autopilot then engage it ASAP. Once you do that then you can talk to ATC. As you fly cross country just be aware at all times a safe escape heading and altitude.

Thank you for the information.

As a current outsider (took pilot training in the early 90s) and IT professional, I find it amazing that with all that "glass" in the cockpit there isn't something running that keeps tabs with warnings on basic things like altitude, airspeed, and proximity to the ground (based on terrain data). Are they just glorified electronic maps?

Excellent review

AMEN AGAIN JUAN ! My flight instructor frequently told me not to be too ashamed to ask him to accompany me on a specific flight that I might be a bit unsure of, flight conditions, ( weather ) Especially when just new to my instrument rating ! He often said, better to ask for help, than to end up dead ! Don't let ego over step your flying ability in other words ! I hate to see another avoidable accident Juan ! Especially in an area known for the infamous marine layer ! Always be willing to ask for more assistance ! VFR can go away very quickly ! So very sorry for the families who have lost their loved ones !

Excellent advice as usual Juan, the old adage applies....... It's far better to be down here, wishing you were up there than being up there wishing you were down here. RIP to those lost.

For the folks that have never seen that sea fog roll in down the cut of the bay..... It's mind blowing on the ground I couldn't imagine in the air.... you literally can reach into it and squeeze water out of the air!!!! Thick impenetrable heavy stuff

As always, thank you for the in depth and fast analysis. We do the bay tour often and Karl The Fog is to be respected. BTW, that little bravo notch off the coast west of San Bruno is to 1600 not the surface.

Another very sad case. Thank you, Juan.

Very sad. Sincere condolences to the family and friends. RIP

Just goes to show how easy it is to get into IMC conditions. And how hard it is to get yourself out of them if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Thanks Juan

The amount of dwell time and maneuvering near the impact site makes me guess that he was sightseeing while dodging In and out of low visibility using the glass panel as somewhat an artificial vision. I feel the newest high tech display systems could have the potential for doing just that. The panel’s painted picture is so complete. It will be interesting to see if the future reveals a flaw in the concept of the panel painting a near complete picture , luring VFR pilots into substituting it for eyesight. “Working on his instrument rating” can be a red flag. “Not a problem, I can handle it.” I can’t tell how many VFR pilots have stated to me that they were confident they could handle a 180 and a minute or two in solid imc. I seriously doubt their confidence. The answer seems to be in the accident reports. The aircraft damage and angle of impact suggests the developing of a loss of control death spiral. Truly sad, as all he had to do was to advise ATC. They would have helped him into VFR conditions. He would have had to declare an emergency. (This is for ATC’s benefit. It means that he can officially, and will receive top priority) For the many non pilots here. No reprimands, questions as to why, or such will be made while the aircraft is in the air once an emergency is declared. The only task is getting the aircraft safely on the ground. In this case, the pilot would have had a discussion with the FAA over the how and why of his error. He would have to endure an educational lecture over the importance of weather flight planning and to complete the requisite paperwork, but certificate action would be unlikely.

Thank you Juan for steadfast objective analysis. Choosing to sight see around near busy atc zones in anything other than clear skies, with ocean on one side and hills and dales on the other.. I don't understand.

Thank you , regards liz RIP to both Victims. condolences to both families.

thanks, Juan. so tragic

what a great resource Juan is for new pilots!

So very sad. This hits locally for us here in the Sacramento region.

Juan that was a superb report. Man i like to add an xtra safety margin under my flying envelope. And only When I am at my best when flying regularly then i grasp a bit xtra.flying is fun enough but o have no need to quickly pursue going out of my envelope.

This is such a bummer. Rip pilot passenger. Currently i am volunteering mentoring high school students in a build a plane program. We are building a RV-10 so this really hits home. God bless the families that are left behind.

I can hear Joe Friday now Pull up...terrain Pull up... terrain Pull up ... terrain. I still miss the 66 Ford Fairlane with dual antennas. Thanks Joe and Bill

Indeed, the Rosie path of destruction. Those first few hundred hours are very important! Thanks for your quick and thorough perspective!