Originally Posted by
brokenagain
If you listen to LiveATC and line it up with FR24, a Saab which departs Canberra about 15 mins after the Cirrus crashes asks for weather deviation in the same area.
SAAB pilots will deviate around any cloud near or above the freezing level in general. The engine anti ice sucks engine power, so if you can find a gap you will climb above the cloud layer faster. So unless there's more information it's hard to gauge whether the SAAB was avoiding significant bad weather, or just not wanting to use the anti-ice through a thin layer ahead, in both cases the crew will ask for deviations 'due weather'. If jets were deviating in the same area that would be more proof of significant build ups or weather RADAR returns. That being said if the SAAB crew did pass through the same area and did enter cloud, they might be able to answer if there was significant icing in the area, might be worth the ATSB contacting them if there is any questions relative to icing and turbulence.