Incident Overview
A pilot reported that during a night cross-country flight, marginal (obscured) weather conditions were encountered, prompting a reversal of course to return to the departure point. The pilot stated that while returning, he 'dozed off a little bit' and upon awakening, saw a mountain directly ahead. He took evasive action by pulling the aircraft up, but the aircraft pancaked into the mountain.
Pilot Condition
According to the report, the pilot was tired, and while returning, he relaxed and momentarily fell asleep. The incident occurred as a result of the pilot's fatigue and inadvertent sleep during the flight.
Sequence of Events
The flight was conducted at night. After encountering obscured weather, the pilot reversed course. During the return leg, the pilot relaxed and fell asleep. Upon waking, he was confronted with the immediate presence of a mountain. Despite pulling up, the aircraft could not avoid impacting the terrain.