What happened
While nearing the end of a cross-country flight across the United States, approximately 33 miles from the intended destination, the pilot began a descent and entered an overcast layer. Due to the cloud cover, the pilot could not see the rising mountainous terrain below and was unsure of his exact position.
The pilot contacted Air Traffic Control (ATC) to request assistance, informing the controller that he had found a "hole" in the clouds and intended to fly through it. The aircraft was identified on radar. The controller approved the descent but instructed the pilot to maintain Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at all times.
When the pilot asked the controller for the elevation of the terrain directly beneath him, the controller responded that the terrain was "no factor" for the flight. Shortly after this exchange, the pilot notified ATC that he was losing VFR. The aircraft subsequently impacted mountainous terrain at an elevation of 5,550 feet MSL.