Flight Preparation
Prior to departure, the student pilot received a weather briefing that included information about icing conditions, turbulence, snow showers, and snow squalls along ridges north of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania area. The weather briefer indicated that visual flight rules (VFR) flight was not recommended. Additionally, an instructor pilot at the departure airport advised the student not to leave so late in the day.
Flight and Communication
The student pilot took off at approximately 1530 Eastern Standard Time. At 1556, he contacted Birmingham Tower for assistance after encountering adverse weather conditions. Tower personnel made efforts to assist the pilot for over an hour. The pilot's last known transmission occurred at 1706, during which he reported that he did not know whether he was flying up or down.
Accident
The aircraft impacted in a wooded area after dark in a steep nose-down attitude.