Background
The pilot, who held a private pilot certificate issued about one month prior to the accident, was not instrument rated. The airplane was not instrument certificated and lacked an attitude indicator and directional gyro. The pilot had accumulated approximately 120 total flight hours.
Flight Details
The pilot received a weather briefing before departure, which indicated that visual flight rules (VFR) flight was not recommended due to low clouds and precipitation reducing visibility along the planned route. Despite this, the pilot elected to depart on the cross-country flight at night. During the flight, the pilot reported difficulty finding bearings and maintaining control of the airplane. The accident occurred in dark night conditions and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies that would have affected the airplane's controllability. The pilot's last flight instructor stated that they did not review go/no-go decision making or personal minimums during training.