Brent,
   Thanks for sharing what you've learned from this crash and Bravo for your
advice in this situation to the readers of the LML.  My first impression
upon reading the preliminary report was to ask myself why anyone would allow
ATC to deny them a deviation for weather, especially involving
thunderstorms.  I was awaiting confirmation that a penetration may have
resulted from this, which your data seems to have confirmed.
   I've had this happen to me just once in my airline career on a summer
afternoon when a controller at New York Center refused my request for a
weather deviation shortly after departing Newark.  I'm sure he was trying to
heep me from entering an arrival corridor, but short of doing a 180 degree
turn, there was nowhere else to go.  I insisted upon an immediate turn,
which he again denied.  I then TOLD him my new heading, whereupon he ordered
me back on course.  I told him that if necessary, I was declaring an
emergency and the next thing I heard was the voice of a different controller
(undoubtedly a supervisor) telling me to maintain my new heading and advise
when clear of weather.  The first guy had been relieved of his station.
   Any controller who attempts to force you to maintain your course into
what you perceive as a bad situation is way out of line.  Either they give
you what you ask for, give you a viable altervative or you MUST take matters
into your own hands under the emergency authority you have as pilot in
command and do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of your plane and
passengers.
   As strong as Lancairs are, they're no match for mother nature.  As the
details of this accident emerge, graphically illustrated by the data
extracted from the IDU in this airplane, the tremendous forces of a
thunderstorm will become ever more evident.  Give them a very wide berth.
   Skip Slater
   N540ES