Here is the 11 page preliminary report:
https://ntsb.gov/investigations/Documents/DCA20MA059-Investigative-Update.pdf
From the report:
The pilot reported to SCT that theflight was going to Camarillo at 1,500 feet. The SCT controller advised that he would not be able to maintain radar contact at that altitude and terminated services. The SCT controller was subsequently relieved by a different controller. At 0945, the pilot of N72EX again contacted SCT and advised he was climbing above cloud layers and requested advisory services. The second controller was not aware of the aircraft,as services had previously been terminated, so asked the pilot to identify the flight. The SCT controller then asked the pilot his intentions, to which he replied he was climbing to 4,000 feet.There were no further transmissions.
...
Interesting, but I doubt the change of personnel was a factor.
Figure 6 in the NTSB report shows a still frame from a security camera that showed the helicopter flying into the clouds as it followed HWY 101.
If true, that’s damning evidence against the pilot.