PilotKen

So rather than add to any speculation I'll just provide some historical Metar data around his departure at 400UTC (8PM). Note that Mt. Diablo has some lighted towers but it's pretty dark the last 3,000 feet of elevation. It looks like there was a temporary lifting in weather right at time of departure, but I've included Metars from LVK to the south and CCR to the north of Diablo also SAC near the destination which would have been reached around 4:30-4:45. I've owned 3 mooneys and a number of other singles and this was no go. I've canceled flights for less even IFR. Also being only 2-3 miles from the crash my spouse (who flies long trips with me) is keenly interested in understanding. She gets it. Note the summit of diablo is about 3900ft you guys can lookup elevation of the airports and see the summit must have been in clouds. Weather slightly improved around time of departure, but depending on direction was worse ARCHIVED METAR OF: 20190210 // FROM: 2 TO: 5 UTC AIRPORTS REQUESTED: KHWD KLVK KCCR KSAC KHWD 100254Z 22011KT 10SM FEW023 BKN055 OVC075 11/07 A2987 RMK AO2 RAB00E44 SLP125 P0001 60002 T01110067 57007 KHWD 100354Z 24016G24KT 4SM RA FEW018 SCT028 OVC036 11/07 A2986 RMK AO2 RAB22 SLP121 P0006 T01060067 KHWD 100454Z 23011KT 10SM FEW018 BKN050 OVC060 11/06 A2986 RMK AO2 RAE47 SLP121 P0003 T01060061 KHWD 100523Z AUTO 24012KT 8SM -RA BKN027 OVC035 11/07 A2986 RMK AO2 RAB22 P0000 T01060067 KHWD 100554Z AUTO 26009KT 4SM RA BKN015 BKN020 OVC028 10/07 A2986 RMK AO2 RAB22 SLP122 P0009 60020 T01000072 10133 20100 55003 KLVK 100236Z 23013KT 5SM -RA BR FEW024 BKN030 OVC040 08/06 A2986 RMK AO2 P0002 T00830061 KLVK 100248Z 22011G19KT 4SM -RA BR BKN023 BKN028 OVC037 08/06 A2986 RMK AO2 P0003 KLVK 100253Z 21008G17KT 4SM -RA BR SCT018 BKN023 OVC037 08/06 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP113 P0003 60007 T00830061 55002 KLVK 100353Z 20012G19KT 10SM FEW020 BKN027 OVC034 08/06 A2984 RMK AO2 RAE24 SLP106 P0002 T00830061 KLVK 100421Z 21015G23KT 4SM -RA BR SCT024 BKN029 OVC035 08/06 A2984 RMK AO2 RAB0355 P0001 T00830061 KLVK 100453Z 21015G21KT 10SM SCT030 BKN047 OVC090 09/06 A2984 RMK AO2 RAB0355E35 SLP104 P0001 T00890056 KLVK 100508Z AUTO 24014KT 2 1/2SM RA BR BKN025 BKN033 OVC048 08/06 A2985 RMK AO2 RAB0456 P0003 T00830061 KLVK 100533Z AUTO 21012G20KT 5SM -RA FEW021 SCT027 OVC041 08/06 A2984 RMK AO2 RAB0456 P0005 T00830056 KLVK 100553Z AUTO 21016G20KT 9SM -RA FEW024 SCT033 OVC044 08/06 A2984 RMK AO2 RAB0456 SLP105 P0006 60016 T00830056 10106 20083 55008 KCCR 100200Z 20014G22KT 8SM -RA FEW027 BKN032 BKN039 11/06 A2984 RMK AO2 P0000 T01060061 KCCR 100250Z 23017G23KT 4SM RA FEW023 BKN028 OVC045 11/06 A2984 RMK AO2 P0003 KCCR 100253Z 23017G24KT 4SM RA SCT023 BKN030 OVC045 10/06 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP090 P0003 60003 T01000056 56006 KCCR 100353Z 24016G25KT 7SM -RA FEW024 SCT037 BKN047 11/06 A2983 RMK AO2 RAE11B50 SLP087 P0001 T01060056 KCCR 100453Z 24008KT 10SM -RA FEW024 OVC040 09/06 A2984 RMK AO2 RAE05B28 SLP090 P0002 T00940061 KCCR 100500Z 24011G17KT 9SM -RA FEW015 BKN022 OVC030 09/06 A2984 RMK AO2 P0001 T00940061 KCCR 100516Z 25014KT 8SM -RA SCT023 BKN035 OVC047 09/06 A2984 RMK AO2 P0001 T00940056 KCCR 100553Z 29008KT 4SM -RA FEW021 BKN033 OVC044 09/06 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP094 P0004 60010 T00890061 10117 20089 53004 KSAC 100302Z 18009G16KT 10SM BKN027 OVC034 09/07 A2981 RMK AO2 T00890072 KSAC 100318Z 18010G16KT 10SM SCT027 BKN036 OVC060 09/07 A2981 RMK AO2 T00890067 KSAC 100353Z 18009KT 10SM BKN025 OVC039 09/07 A2982 RMK AO2 RAB27E46 SLP096 P0000 T00890067 KSAC 100419Z 18008KT 8SM -RA SCT025 BKN038 OVC048 09/07 A2982 RMK AO2 RAB07 P0001 T00890067 KSAC 100453Z 19010G20KT 6SM -RA BR FEW017 BKN025 OVC032 08/07 A2982 RMK AO2 RAB07 SLP098 P0005 T00830072 KSAC 100522Z AUTO 21011G18KT 10SM -RA FEW022 SCT036 OVC048 08/07 A2983 RMK AO2 P0000 T00830067 KSAC 100553Z AUTO 21009KT 10SM -RA SCT027 BKN032 OVC045 08/07 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP105 P0000 60006 T00830072 10100 20083 53010 d

After flying since 1993 in pipers, 3 Mooney’s (67’F, 75’F, 80’231) and now a Cessna TR182 understanding accident causes is important for me. But it’s also important to my spouse who flies long trips, typically enjoys them but watches accidents closely with some worry. This one went down 2 miles from our home so perhaps I’m jumping the gun on analysis to put her mind at ease. But like Paul this also makes me angry, it didn’t have to happen. Based on available information and even what weather was like around here Friday night leaving the ground wouldn’t be something I would have done. I’ve delayed trips for a lot less. All other evidence says experience or judgement wasn’t there in this case. Pretty much everything else was a compounding factor.

Well I live a mile from the west entrance to Mt Diablo, driving around here Friday night was terrible winds, downpours low ceilings ugh. IFR would have been a challenge. Way below my minimums

Trail mix is good for normal flights. But on some 10 hour flight days, when you don't have time to drive off airport at an intermediate stop something more is required. A ferry pilot gave me a tip about some of the hormell heat-n-serve meals (basically a civilian MRE). Just put it near the heater duct, crank it on high for a few minutes and instant fuel! Calling it food is questionable... Of course an autopilot is pretty handy.

The original backing material was some kind of poster/foam board and never held screws. Based on a suggestion 8 years ago I redid the interior using coroplast as the backing board. It's a corrugated plastic material and grabs the screws pretty well from the Plastic side panels. As an added bonus the backing material is stiff enough that it mostly holds itself in place. Best of all it doesn't disintegrate over time. There is one place a tinerman nut helped where a couple plastic panels overlapped Ken

I'm 6'2" and 215lbs and do lots of 4 hour legs in my 231 solo, although have done close to 5 hours with my 5'1" 115lb wife. I typically have the seat 1 notch forward for taxi, t/o, and landing. Cruise we put the seats all the way back in smooth air, and are quite comfortable. Of course you can't move around that much so installed contour-foam seats 10 years to keep the butt and back numbness down. Frankly I find it more comfortable than a c182 I also fly which sits more upright. It would be great to move around more, and packing can be a bit of a challenge sometimes, But that probably means something much larger ( and way more expensive). Ken

This has been useful to me troubleshooting worn-out connector pins.... http://www.centuryflight.com/services/dsm/63D595.pdf So Programmer pin 8 (CD 168 on the programmer) goes to Pin 58 on CD185 on the Computer Purchasing the Century 41 maintenance manual from Essco has been money well spent too... (it's so strange when the forum posts using someone elses account!)

@Joe - To filter out the audio-whine you probably just need a ground loop isolator (like this one) http://www.crutchfield.com/p_127SNI135/PAC-SNI-1-3-5-Noise-Filter.html?tp=2653 . It's also pretty easy to build one using a 1-1 audio transformer (2 for stereo) if you have access to parts. I've used one to record audio from my 231 several times... Ken

Joe - Of course! I've gotten used to other cameras that stop the video at 2GB files (10-20 minutes). I've used final cut pro for exactly the same thing. Think I'll pull out a Canon HF100 flash camcorder I haven't used for a year and do some flying ;-) Ken

@colojo - Awesome video. I've been planning to take similar time-lapse while flying. I assume this was done with fast-time lapse and stitched into a movie. Is this about 1 frame per second? Ken