What happened
During a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight, a student pilot encountered and intentionally entered instrument meteorological conditions. Despite a request from his passenger to turn back, the pilot continued toward his intended destination. The aircraft subsequently encountered a squall line characterized by high winds, mist, clouds, and rain.
Navigating primarily with a hand-held global positioning system (GPS), the pilot descended to an altitude just below the cloud layer when he believed he was near the destination airport. While maneuvering through heavy rain and strong winds under a very low ceiling, the pilot identified a clearing within a forested area and attempted to land there. During the short final approach to the clearing, the aircraft collided with a tree. Following the impact with the tree, the aircraft traveled an additional 285 feet before hitting the ground. The student pilot was not injured.
Findings
Investigation into the flight preparations revealed that the student pilot had not obtained the necessary pre-flight endorsement for a solo cross-country flight required of a CFI candidate. Additionally, there was no evidence that the pilot had obtained a weather briefing before starting the flight or during any subsequent stops.