Narrative:

On climb out out to houston's hobby airport (destination dal) a developing storm was north of the route of flight with an overhang in front of the aircraft. Virga was apparently below the overhang. The captain and I discussed going under the overhang, through virga, as our destination was nnw. We decided the area looked too turbulent. About that time a sustained bolt of lightning flashed at our 12 O'clock (cloud to ground) about 10 mi. Since it came from the storm developing to our north, I turned 10 degrees left to avoid that area and asked the captain to get permission to deviate. At that time departure asked us to turn approximately 50 degrees right and he asked to delay turn about 10 mi. The controller angrily shot back 'everyone else went that way, why can't you?' the captain calmly said, 'we must be out climbing the others.' the controller angrily shot back like a 2 yr old, 'just do what ever you want to do.' I turned 10 degrees left, flew 3-4 mi and when passing the area turned to the heading and flew through my assigned altitude by 800'. I had been climbing at about 3000 FPM and my attention was outside to avoid the WX. It took 20-30 seconds to stop my climb safely and descend to my altitude. I failed to devote all my attention to flying the aircraft first in respect to the WX and assigned instructions. The controller was a significant distraction with his unbelievable attitude and then his who cares attitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HEADING DEVIATION AVOIDING TSTM ACTIVITY, THEN ALT DEVIATION WHEN DISTR WX AVOIDANCE.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OUT TO HOUSTON'S HOBBY ARPT (DEST DAL) A DEVELOPING STORM WAS N OF THE RTE OF FLT WITH AN OVERHANG IN FRONT OF THE ACFT. VIRGA WAS APPARENTLY BELOW THE OVERHANG. THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED GOING UNDER THE OVERHANG, THROUGH VIRGA, AS OUR DEST WAS NNW. WE DECIDED THE AREA LOOKED TOO TURBULENT. ABOUT THAT TIME A SUSTAINED BOLT OF LIGHTNING FLASHED AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK (CLOUD TO GND) ABOUT 10 MI. SINCE IT CAME FROM THE STORM DEVELOPING TO OUR N, I TURNED 10 DEGS LEFT TO AVOID THAT AREA AND ASKED THE CAPT TO GET PERMISSION TO DEVIATE. AT THAT TIME DEP ASKED US TO TURN APPROX 50 DEGS RIGHT AND HE ASKED TO DELAY TURN ABOUT 10 MI. THE CTLR ANGRILY SHOT BACK 'EVERYONE ELSE WENT THAT WAY, WHY CAN'T YOU?' THE CAPT CALMLY SAID, 'WE MUST BE OUT CLBING THE OTHERS.' THE CTLR ANGRILY SHOT BACK LIKE A 2 YR OLD, 'JUST DO WHAT EVER YOU WANT TO DO.' I TURNED 10 DEGS LEFT, FLEW 3-4 MI AND WHEN PASSING THE AREA TURNED TO THE HDG AND FLEW THROUGH MY ASSIGNED ALT BY 800'. I HAD BEEN CLBING AT ABOUT 3000 FPM AND MY ATTN WAS OUTSIDE TO AVOID THE WX. IT TOOK 20-30 SECS TO STOP MY CLB SAFELY AND DSND TO MY ALT. I FAILED TO DEVOTE ALL MY ATTN TO FLYING THE ACFT FIRST IN RESPECT TO THE WX AND ASSIGNED INSTRUCTIONS. THE CTLR WAS A SIGNIFICANT DISTR WITH HIS UNBELIEVABLE ATTITUDE AND THEN HIS WHO CARES ATTITUDE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.