Preflight Briefing
During a preflight weather briefing, the pilot was advised that Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight was not recommended. The pilot indicated during the briefing that he intended to find an instructor or someone with an instrument rating to fly him to the intended destination. Approximately two hours later, the pilot departed alone.
Flight Plan and Execution
The pilot reported that he planned to either turn around or divert to an alternate airport if the weather en route deteriorated. He proceeded en route by following a highway. While flying, the pilot lost sight of the ground due to fog. He then turned around, but as he did so, the nose of the airplane pitched down. As he recovered, he observed trees in the path of the airplane.
Decision and Landing
The pilot stated, "I decided it was best to put it in the trees." He explained that the reason the nose pitched down was due to winds around the nearby mountains, possibly causing wind shear. He further noted that his already slower than normal airspeed contributed to the loss of altitude.
Pilot Observations
The pilot attributed the nose-down pitch to the effects of mountain winds and wind shear, combined with his reduced airspeed. No other factors were mentioned in the report.