You squawk 1200 when you are VFR, but you usually get permission first. He should have kept squawking 0235 so that flight following could identify him to Thousand Oaks.
What is really odd is he was up by Van Nuys and the 118, then he came way south towards the hills. He could have stayed over the valley into TO. Actually, it would have been Newbury Park, which is right W of TO before you go down the hill into Camarillo.
Mamba Sports Academy
1011 Rancho Conejo Blvd
Newbury Park, CA 91320
This link shows the crash site.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-26/aircraft-slams-into-hillside-explodes-in-flames-near-calabasas
I am questioning the flight path from Van Nuys to Newbury Park. Anyone have any ideas? Seems like an inconvenient path to me.