NO RECORD WAS FOUND TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT THE STUDENT HAD EVER BEEN GIVEN ANY DUAL INSTRUCTION. HIS CERTIFICATE WAS NOT ENDORSED FOR SOLO OR SOLO CROSS COUNTRY PRIVILEGES. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND THAT THE PILOT OBTAINED ANY PREFLIGHT WEATHER INFORMATION FOR HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. A RANGE OF COASTAL MOUNTAINS SEPARATES THE DEPARTURE AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS, AND A MAJOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TRAVERSES THE RANGE IN A SYSTEM OF VALLEYS. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED ABOUT ONE MILE SOUTH OF THE HIGHWAY NEAR THE CREST OF A MOUNTAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF 4,200 FT MSL. EXAMINATION OF THE SITE REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHILE ROTATING TO THE RIGHT. SEARCH AND RESCUE HELICOPTER PILOTS RETURNING FROM ANOTHER AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT SITE FLEW NEAR THE LOCATION ABOUT ONE HOUR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOTS REPORTED THAT THE TOPS OF THE MOUNTAINS WERE OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AND SNOW SHOWERS.