Deleted. This comment on blancorlirio answered my questions:
Thank you Juan-
I knew Bob [owner]
His hanger was across from mine at BCT. I also flew with him in this airplane several times in the months prior to this, several times in the left seat. It was a very well-cared for 310.
A couple of things:
Because I have been flying someone else’s twin Cessna that’s parked outside, I’ve been trying to find a rudder gust lock for it, and Bob and I discussed it.
Cessna made a rudder gust lock, but it fastens to the rudder pedals inside the cabin.
I can tell you for certain Bob did not own one.
He son was in the left seat, for what it’s worth.
The airplane did have VGs
One of Bob’s friends who is also an aerobatic pilot as well as a 767 captain pointed out the phenomenon of ‘crossover speed’, wherein with a rudder hard-over you can’t accelerate past a certain point or the deflected rudder will overpower the ability of the ailerons to counteract the roll.
The airplane was in a kind of ‘coffin corner’, and all the armchair pilots saying he should have done this or tried that would not have lasted past the first turn.
He was a very nice man and we will all miss him.