I thought of that as well, but the Malibu should be able to fly nonstop from the LA area to Eugene with full IFR reserves.  They had a tailwind, for at least part of the flight.  Radar tracks show that he was just making his turn inbound when things went wrong.  I know I was having 180 degree  surface wind shifts with 30+ mph gusts at my home weather station during that time.... who knows how severe it was aloft?  Lots of probable causes, but a terrible tragedy regardless of the why.