THE FLT ARRIVED IN MONTEREY, CA, THAT AFTERNOON. AFTER DINNER THE FLT WAS RETURNING TO THE POINT OF ORIGINAL DEPARTURE. WHEN THE PLT CONTACTED THE TWR FOR TAXI INSTRUCTION HE WAS INFORMED THAT MONTEREY WX WAS BELOW VFR MINIMUMS. AFTER A DISCUSSION OF WX CONDITIONS IN THE VICINITY AND THE NEARBY MOUNTAINS, THE CONTROLLER ISSUED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE OUT OF THE CONTROL ZONE. AT 2051 PDT THE ACFT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF. AT 2054 WHEN ASKED BY THE CONTROLLER IF THE HIGHWAY WAS IN SIGHT THE PLT RESPONDED 'ROGER.' THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO STAY OVER THE HIGHWAY AND TO STANDBY ON TWRFREQ. AT 2055 THE CONTROLLER CALLED THE ACFT TO TURN LEFT WARNING OF RISING TERRAIN. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR TO CLIMB IN A RIGHT TURN FROM 900 TO 1500 FEET BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST ABOUT 4.5 MILES EAST OF THE ARPT. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE 30 DEGREE UPSLOPING TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN INVERTED ATTITUDE AND WAS CONSUMED BY POST CRASH FIRE. ELEVATION AT THE ARPT AND ACCIDENT SITE WERE 244 AND 744 FT MSL RESPECTIVELY.