Accident Description
The airplane crashed into a mountainside at the 1,100-foot level. The aircraft was flying a course roughly parallel to the mountain range at the time of the accident. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was killed.
Weather Conditions
Marginal weather conditions were reported for the area at the time of the crash.
Pilot's Procedures
The pilot's 22-year-old son stated that in similar weather conditions, his father would routinely climb into the clouds, set a loran course for home, and relax. When nearing his destination, the pilot would descend to visual flight rules (VFR) conditions over the flat coastal area and land.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause of the accident was that the pilot elected to fly an improper altitude. Contributing factors were the pilot's attempt to fly under VFR into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and the obscured weather.