A flight crew climbed above the assigned altitude near sax VOR.

Attributes
ACN	446070
Time
Date	199908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sax.vor
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	44607
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time type : 100
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departure vectors through and around thunderstorms. Handover to nyc, climb clearance to 15000 ft. Approaching 15000 ft, ZNY gave a 170 degree turn into area of cumulo nimbus. I visually checked the area, not certain the new vector would keep us out of thunderstorms. In the turn, climb continued through 15000 ft to +/-15500 ft. Cockpit altitude warning alert sounded at 15300 ft. I came back to instruments and returned to 15000 ft. Autoplt does not have altitude capture. New first officer (less than 100 hours) did not call deviation. A case of being externally distraction. ZNY did not comment on deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLC CLBED ABOVE THE ASSIGNED ALT NEAR SAX VOR.

Narrative: DEP VECTORS THROUGH AND AROUND TSTMS. HANDOVER TO NYC, CLB CLRNC TO 15000 FT. APCHING 15000 FT, ZNY GAVE A 170 DEG TURN INTO AREA OF CUMULO NIMBUS. I VISUALLY CHKED THE AREA, NOT CERTAIN THE NEW VECTOR WOULD KEEP US OUT OF TSTMS. IN THE TURN, CLB CONTINUED THROUGH 15000 FT TO +/-15500 FT. COCKPIT ALT WARNING ALERT SOUNDED AT 15300 FT. I CAME BACK TO INSTS AND RETURNED TO 15000 FT. AUTOPLT DOES NOT HAVE ALT CAPTURE. NEW FO (LESS THAN 100 HRS) DID NOT CALL DEV. A CASE OF BEING EXTERNALLY DISTR. ZNY DID NOT COMMENT ON DEV.

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.