C165RJ flight crew leaves assigned altitude due to WX encounter.

Attributes
ACN	440430
Time
Date	199906
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 211 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	440430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier government : faa
Function	controller : departure flight crew : first officer
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb out from dca, while on vectors from ATC, we were cleared to 5000 ft MSL. There were twring cumulo nimbus clouds all quadrants to approximately 10000 ft MSL. I was leveling at 5000 ft MSL, with the autoplt of, when I saw that our present ATC vector would put us in the very top of the nearest cumulo nimbus. I deviated only a few degrees right of course and only 100 ft high to attempt to avoid the cumulo nimbus, when my aircraft hit an updraft and strayed to approximately 5700 ft MSL. I immediately initiated a descent to 5000 ft MSL again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C165RJ FLC LEAVES ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO WX ENCOUNTER.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT FROM DCA, WHILE ON VECTORS FROM ATC, WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT MSL. THERE WERE TWRING CUMULO NIMBUS CLOUDS ALL QUADRANTS TO APPROX 10000 FT MSL. I WAS LEVELING AT 5000 FT MSL, WITH THE AUTOPLT OF, WHEN I SAW THAT OUR PRESENT ATC VECTOR WOULD PUT US IN THE VERY TOP OF THE NEAREST CUMULO NIMBUS. I DEVIATED ONLY A FEW DEGS R OF COURSE AND ONLY 100 FT HIGH TO ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE CUMULO NIMBUS, WHEN MY ACFT HIT AN UPDRAFT AND STRAYED TO APPROX 5700 FT MSL. I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A DSCNT TO 5000 FT MSL AGAIN.

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.