Incident Overview
A private pilot was conducting a cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 with three passengers. While flying over mountainous terrain, weather conditions deteriorated with the onset of fog, low ceilings, and poor visibility. According to the pilot, conditions worsened and the airplane entered a fog bank.
Pilot Actions
After losing all visual reference with the terrain below, the pilot leveled the airplane's wings and initiated a shallow descent. Upon emerging from the fog bank, the pilot observed a tree-covered mountain slope approximately 100 feet ahead. In response, he selected a forced landing site among the trees.
Aircraft Damage
The forced landing resulted in substantial damage to the airplane's wings, fuselage, and empennage.