Background
The pilot received a weather briefing indicating that conditions would be marginal throughout the day. The briefing warned of potentially challenging weather.
Incident
During the flight, the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). In response, he attempted to reverse course, climb, and transition to instrument flight rules (IFR). While executing this maneuver, the airplane struck treetops at an elevation of 5,300 feet above mean sea level.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that he was not looking outside the airplane during the turn and climb attempt. He stated that his attention was focused on the instruments and the maneuver, rather than monitoring external visual references.