Altitude deviation occurred as flight crew's attention was diverted to maneuvering to avoid thunders...

Attributes
ACN	312230
Time
Date	199508
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	312230
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain was flying. We were deviating around thunderstorms. Our clearance was to climb and maintain 16000 ft. We were both looking out the windows for visual deviations around thunderstorms. As we climbed, the required '2000 ft and 1000 ft to go' callouts were made. As we approached 16000 ft MSL, I noticed we were still climbing (on the autoplt) at 2000 FPM. I announced 16000 ft and the captain moved the autoplt rate knob to maintain altitude. During the autoplt leveloff, the airplane 'overshot' by about 250 ft. The captain disconnected the autoplt and started a descent toward 16000 ft. When I saw the climb trend reverse toward 16000 ft, my attention went to something else. When I looked at the altimeter again, we were climbing through 16300 ft and made it as high as 16400 ft MSL. We then went back to 16000 ft MSL and continued the flight. The main contributing factor was our attention outside the aircraft (deviating around thunderstorms). I probably should have directed all of my attention to the altitude when the autoplt was disconnected until we made it to 16000 ft and the autoplt was turned back on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV OCCURRED AS FLC'S ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO MANEUVERING TO AVOID TSTMS.

Narrative: CAPT WAS FLYING. WE WERE DEVIATING AROUND TSTMS. OUR CLRNC WAS TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 16000 FT. WE WERE BOTH LOOKING OUT THE WINDOWS FOR VISUAL DEVS AROUND TSTMS. AS WE CLBED, THE REQUIRED '2000 FT AND 1000 FT TO GO' CALLOUTS WERE MADE. AS WE APCHED 16000 FT MSL, I NOTICED WE WERE STILL CLBING (ON THE AUTOPLT) AT 2000 FPM. I ANNOUNCED 16000 FT AND THE CAPT MOVED THE AUTOPLT RATE KNOB TO MAINTAIN ALT. DURING THE AUTOPLT LEVELOFF, THE AIRPLANE 'OVERSHOT' BY ABOUT 250 FT. THE CAPT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND STARTED A DSCNT TOWARD 16000 FT. WHEN I SAW THE CLB TREND REVERSE TOWARD 16000 FT, MY ATTN WENT TO SOMETHING ELSE. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER AGAIN, WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 16300 FT AND MADE IT AS HIGH AS 16400 FT MSL. WE THEN WENT BACK TO 16000 FT MSL AND CONTINUED THE FLT. THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS OUR ATTN OUTSIDE THE ACFT (DEVIATING AROUND TSTMS). I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DIRECTED ALL OF MY ATTN TO THE ALT WHEN THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED UNTIL WE MADE IT TO 16000 FT AND THE AUTOPLT WAS TURNED BACK ON.

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.

Altitude deviation occurred as flight crew's attention was diverted to maneuvering to avoid thunderstorms.