Flight Planning and Weather Briefing
The certificated commercial pilot obtained a weather briefing two hours before departing on a short VFR cross-country flight. According to the weather briefer, there was potential for rain and thunderstorms along the pilot's intended route.
In-Flight Weather Encounter
The pilot's wife, who occupied the front right seat as a passenger, stated that they did not encounter any weather until arriving at their destination. Upon arrival, rain began hitting the windshield with such intensity that it was difficult to hear the air traffic controller.
Go-Around and Climb Difficulty
During the landing attempt, the pilot could not see out of the front windshield due to heavy rain and decided to execute a go-around. He advanced the throttles full forward and attempted to climb, but reported that the airplane would not climb.
Witness Account
A witness, a flight instructor with over 17,000 hours of flight time, observed the airplane over the runway in a climb. Shortly thereafter, weather at the airport became intense, with wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour, lightning, heavy rain, and hail. The witness stated that the storm seemed capable of producing a tornado.