PC-12 PLT IFR AT 17000 WITH ZDC WAS DENIED WX DEV REQUEST INTO RESTRICTED AIRSPACE; REQUIRING ALTERNATIVE LESS SAFE RTE.

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WE HAD DEPARTED RIC ABOUT 15 MIS PRIOR TO THE EVENT; FOR A FLT TO ZZZ. WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND HAD RECEIVED A FULL RTE CLRNC (NOT WHAT WE HAD FILED) AND A FINAL ALT OF 17000 FT VERSUS THE FL270 THAT WE HAD FILED. WE WERE S OF COLIN INTXN AND PROCEEDING DIRECT TO COLIN TO JOIN V16. LEVELING AT 17000 FT; WE OBSERVE A SIGNIFICANT TSTM AT APPROX THE COLIN INTXN. BASED ON OUR POS AND A LINE OF CONVECTIVE WX EXTENDING TO THE SW FROM OVER COLIN; THE ONLY PLAUSIBLE ESCAPE MANEUVER WAS TO DEVIATE TO THE R. WE MADE SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR A DEV TO THE R (EAST). DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION (A NUMBER OF OTHER ACFT WERE REQUESTING DEVS; AND MOST WERE BEING DENIED) WE DID NOT RECEIVE AN ANSWER UNTIL THE THIRD OR FOURTH TRY. ON THE THIRD OR FOURTH TRY; THE ZDC CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED OUR REQUEST; ADVISED US THAT THE RESTR AIRSPACE TO OUR R WAS ACTIVE; AND INDICATED THAT HE WOULD TRY TO COORD. I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE HAD ABOUT 3 MI TO MAKE THE TURN. ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER; HE ADVISED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO ALLOW US TO TURN R. BEING UNSURE OF THE POTENTIAL SAFETY OF FLT ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH PENETRATING RESTR AIRSPACE (ESPECIALLY THAT CLOSE TO WASHINGTON; DC); WE ELECTED TO GO L; THROUGH A TINY GAP IN THE CONVECTIVE WX (WITH BUILDING CUMULUS BELOW US AND AN ANVIL ON TOP -- NOT A SAFE PLACE TO BE). WE THEN DEVIATED AROUND THE N OF COLIN AND WERE PUT ON A 090 DEG HDG TO JOIN V16. AFTER THE FREQ SETTLED DOWN; WE ADVISED THE ZDC CTLR THAT THE RESTR AIRSPACE WAS POSING A SERIOUS SAFETY OF FLT PROB; AND THE CTLR AGREED; ADVISED THAT HE HAD ALSO EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS TO THE PEOPLE CTLING THE AIRSPACE; BUT THAT HE WAS OVERRULED. I THEN ASKED FOR THE PHONE NUMBER OF 'THE PEOPLE;' AND WAS PROVIDED A PHONE NUMBER FOR PATUXENT. LATER THAT EVENING; I SPOKE WITH A SENIOR ATC CTLR AT PATUXENT AND THE WATCH DESK AT ZDC. BASED ON A REVIEW OF BOTH THE RADAR AND RADIO TAPES; THE ZDC CTLR; AFTER ACKNOWLEDGING MY REQUEST; HAD HIS D-SIDE REQUEST A POINTOUT FROM PATUXENT. THE POINTOUT WAS REFUSED BY PATUXENT. ACCORDING TO THE CTLR AT PATUXENT; HE HAD INITIALLY INTENDED TO ACTIVATE THE RESTR AIRSPACE UP TO FL400. HOWEVER; BASED ON THE OBJECTIONS OF ZDC (AND THEIR REQUEST THAT THE ENTIRE AIRSPACE BE DEACTIVATED DUE TO CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY); THEY ONLY ACTIVATED IT UP TO FL260. FURTHER; PATUXENT AGREED TO TAKE 'ALL POINTOUTS FOR WX AVOIDANCE.' NEEDLESS TO SAY; THE SENIOR CTLR AGREED THAT HIS INSTRUCTIONS HAD NOT BEEN FOLLOWED BY THE SECTOR CTLR; LEADING TO THE LOSS OF SAFETY. AT THE END OF THE DAY; I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THERE IS MUCH I COULD HAVE DONE TO AVOID THE SITUATION GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE WERE DENIED; ON THE FLY; OUR REQUESTED FLT PATH AND ALT. THE FLT PATH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED US TO SEE THE STORM EARLIER (IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A STRAIGHT LINE INTO V16) AND THE ALT WOULD HAVE PUT US ABOVE THE RESTR AIRSPACE; WHERE DEVS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL IMMEDIATELY DECLARE AN EMER; AND DEVIATE INTO THE RESTR AIRSPACE AS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN SAFETY. I FURTHER ADVISE THAT; DUE TO THE CONGESTION OF THE AREA AND THE SECURITY AIRSPACE THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED AROUND WASHINGTON; DC; THAT THE RESTR AIRSPACE (WHICH IS ONLY THERE FOR OPERATIONAL REASONS) BE MOVED TO A LOCATION OUTSIDE OF THE NE CORRIDOR TO A LOCATION WHERE THERE IS SUFFICIENT SPACE.