Incident Overview
A pilot who did not hold an instrument rating was conducting an enroute descent in preparation for landing at his destination. During the descent, the aircraft inadvertently entered a layer of fog. Upon entering the fog, the pilot lost visual contact with all ground lights and became disoriented.
Maneuvers and Collision
In an effort to reverse course and climb out of the fog, the pilot executed a sharp banking turn. While performing this climbing course reversal, the aircraft collided with trees. The pilot attributed his disorientation to the abrupt maneuvers and the total lack of ground reference.
Pilot's Statement
The pilot explicitly stated: "The abrupt maneuvers and total lack of ground reference caused me to become disoriented."