Flight Overview
A student pilot was conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight when he encountered and intentionally entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Despite a passenger's request to turn around, the pilot elected to continue toward the intended destination. The flight subsequently encountered a squall line characterized by rain, clouds, mist, and strong winds.
Navigation and Descent
Navigating primarily with a hand-held GPS, the pilot descended to just under the cloud ceiling when he believed he was near the destination airport. Under conditions of very low ceiling, strong winds, and heavy rain, he spotted a clearing in the forested terrain and decided to land there.
Collision and Impact
While on short final approach to the clearing, the pilot inadvertently allowed the aircraft to collide with a tree. After the collision, the aircraft traveled approximately 285 feet before impacting the ground.
Pilot and Flight Preparation
The student pilot had not obtained the required solo cross-country CFI pre-flight endorsement. Additionally, no record existed of the pilot acquiring a weather briefing prior to departure or during any intermediate stops.