April 22, Carmel Valley, Calif. / Cessna 310

At 11:08 Pacific time, a Cessna 310F struck the mountains about three miles northwest of Carmel Valley, killing the pilot. The aircraft was in IMC on an IFR flight plan. The flight departed Monterey on an instrument clearance to VFR on top and was cleared to climb on a published departure procedure course to 6,000 feet. The pilot did not fly the published procedure, nor did the aircraft climb promptly. The controller warned the pilot he was headed toward higher terrain and told him to turn northbound if he was not VFR. The flight did not turn and struck terrain about 1,700 feet on a 2,000-foot ridgeline.