Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

Hilton wrote:

No, but were instrument rated and it was a Commander. It may have been a
legality issue (currency etc) that cause them to go VFR, I don't know.


Doesn't sound like they were too concerned about legalities. Scud
running all the way from RHV along Hwy 101 below 500' would surely run
afoul of FAR 91.119.

I'm still not sure why they felt scud-running all the way down 101 to the
reservoir, then flying into higher terrain was safer than a 30 second IFR
climb though the layer. The obvious options a
1. Neither was current
2. Aircraft wasn't legal IFR
3. Major delay getting out of RHV (SJC traffic does cause a delay)

Note: This refers to the 2003 accident.

Hilton