Thanks PilotPhil for the detailed facts. I was also devastated by the King Air accident near Freer two weeks ago. Some of the Pilot-in-Command's options on bad weather days are:

1) remember the limitations of the pilot, avionics equipment, and the aircraft

2) in thunderstorm type weather, it is safer to be daytime visual, low altitude, reasonable ceiling, and good visibility. If you do not have all of these, steer well clear of the weather above you. This only works in the flatlands.

3) without airborn radar, stay well clear of thunderstorm type weather

4) Deviate, I have never made a weather or fuel deviation I regretted

5) one easy answer is to be in a high speed jet where it is much easier to go around the area of weather