Altitude deviation on climb.

Attributes
ACN	312140
Time
Date	199508
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	312140
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 8150 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	312053
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had been flying in and out of abe for the past 2 months. After takeoff we always got a 'turn to whatever heading, lrp when able, climb to 8000 ft.' this time we had a short discussion with departure about a right turn that would necessitate us staying at 6000 ft for awhile, but a left turn we would not have a problem. So we said we would take the left turn. We needed to turn soon, due to a thunderstorm directly in front of us. There was more instruction about turning to a heading of 230 degrees (I think) for lrp and I thought, climb to 8000 ft as normal. Passing 3300 ft, we got the warning tone for altitude deviation. I immediately stopped my climb and asked to verify if we were cleared to 8000 ft. I thought we had forgot to reset altitude alerter when we made the turn for WX. When the captain asked departure about the altitude, the controller just said 'climb to 8000 ft,' and gave us a frequency change. We still don't know for sure if we deviated by 400 ft or not -- departure said nothing about it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ON CLB.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN FLYING IN AND OUT OF ABE FOR THE PAST 2 MONTHS. AFTER TKOF WE ALWAYS GOT A 'TURN TO WHATEVER HDG, LRP WHEN ABLE, CLB TO 8000 FT.' THIS TIME WE HAD A SHORT DISCUSSION WITH DEP ABOUT A R TURN THAT WOULD NECESSITATE US STAYING AT 6000 FT FOR AWHILE, BUT A L TURN WE WOULD NOT HAVE A PROB. SO WE SAID WE WOULD TAKE THE L TURN. WE NEEDED TO TURN SOON, DUE TO A TSTM DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US. THERE WAS MORE INSTRUCTION ABOUT TURNING TO A HDG OF 230 DEGS (I THINK) FOR LRP AND I THOUGHT, CLB TO 8000 FT AS NORMAL. PASSING 3300 FT, WE GOT THE WARNING TONE FOR ALTDEV. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED MY CLB AND ASKED TO VERIFY IF WE WERE CLRED TO 8000 FT. I THOUGHT WE HAD FORGOT TO RESET ALT ALERTER WHEN WE MADE THE TURN FOR WX. WHEN THE CAPT ASKED DEP ABOUT THE ALT, THE CTLR JUST SAID 'CLB TO 8000 FT,' AND GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. WE STILL DON'T KNOW FOR SURE IF WE DEVIATED BY 400 FT OR NOT -- DEP SAID NOTHING ABOUT IT.

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.