Hard to understand why he simply did not request permission to climb above the fog, then be given his coordinates and a course to land in a clear area. Something does not make sense. Was someone else sitting in the co pilot’s seat?
Hard to understand why he simply did not request permission to climb above the fog,
...
That was his last request, but he got disoriented most likely. He never made it above the clouds.
Before that he was below the clouds flying over hwy 101. I think the ceiling kept getting lower and he got trapped in the clouds.
“Hard to understand why he simply did not request permission to climb above the fog, then be given his coordinates and a course to land in a clear area”
He would not have been able to reach his original destination once he went IFR and under positive control of ATC. He would then need to land at an airport with an instrument landing system.
It appears to me this was a classic case of “gotta get there itis.” To get there he would have to remain VFR. In all probability he ran into IFR conditions while trying to fly VFR.
Pilot error. Get-there-itis. It happens, and unfortunately, its the cause of many similar aircraft accidents.
I believe it had to do with ATC. If the pilot chose to be guided by them, it would have taken far longer to get to his destination due to other air traffic.