Narrative:

We were flying out of kphx as air carrier X. We were on the SID over the stanfield VOR. We had just switched over to abq center frequency from departure. Abq center said to level at 14,000 due to traffic at 15,000. There were numerous thunderstorms in the area and we were experiencing light turbulence. The first officer was flying the aircraft. Center called out our conflicting traffic and we had our attention diverted looking for it. I was also at that time requesting permission to deviate to the southeast for the thunderstorms and center was asking if we could turn to a 105 degree heading to go direct cochise to avoid the storms. I was just replying that we would be able to do that when I noticed that the first officer was still climbing and we were passing 14,000. It was a shallow climb and we were able to stop it at 14,200. The first officer had been looking also for the traffic and deviating for WX. We immediately corrected to 14,000. After we were level at 14,000 center asked what altitude we were at. I replied '14,000'.' about 20 minutes later (on another abq center frequency) we were told to contact abq quality control for a possible altitude incursion. Frankly, I was surprised that anything was brought up because 1) the controller never indicated there was a problem and 2) a deviation of 200 is hard to believe would cause any alarms for as little a time as it occurred. Supplemental information from acn 118857: during climbout of air carrier X (phx-elp) in aug, 1989, abq center instructed us to level at 13,000'. Because of the close proximity of a thunderstorm, we requested and received clearance to maintain heading (SID deviation) and an expected climb clearance in 4 mins. We were then given clearance to 14,000' direct cochise VOR, and also advised of vicinity traffic at 15,000'. While scanning for traffic our altitude pegged at about 14,200' before correcting back to 14,000'. Abq center queried us on altitude as we passed 14,100' for 14,000'. In my opinion, a contributing factor to the momentary altitude gain was the search for traffic in thunderstorm induced haziness while altering course and altitude. Once recognized, the altitude deviation was immediately corrected. As far as what can be done to prevent a recurrence, more diligence in the cockpit is all I can suggest.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLYING PLT CLIMBED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT BY 200'. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING OUT OF KPHX AS ACR X. WE WERE ON THE SID OVER THE STANFIELD VOR. WE HAD JUST SWITCHED OVER TO ABQ CENTER FREQ FROM DEP. ABQ CENTER SAID TO LEVEL AT 14,000 DUE TO TFC AT 15,000. THERE WERE NUMEROUS TSTMS IN THE AREA AND WE WERE EXPERIENCING LIGHT TURBULENCE. THE F/O WAS FLYING THE ACFT. CENTER CALLED OUT OUR CONFLICTING TFC AND WE HAD OUR ATTN DIVERTED LOOKING FOR IT. I WAS ALSO AT THAT TIME REQUESTING PERMISSION TO DEVIATE TO THE SE FOR THE TSTMS AND CENTER WAS ASKING IF WE COULD TURN TO A 105 DEG HDG TO GO DIRECT COCHISE TO AVOID THE STORMS. I WAS JUST REPLYING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE F/O WAS STILL CLIMBING AND WE WERE PASSING 14,000. IT WAS A SHALLOW CLIMB AND WE WERE ABLE TO STOP IT AT 14,200. THE F/O HAD BEEN LOOKING ALSO FOR THE TFC AND DEVIATING FOR WX. WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED TO 14,000. AFTER WE WERE LEVEL AT 14,000 CENTER ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE AT. I REPLIED '14,000'.' ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER (ON ANOTHER ABQ CENTER FREQ) WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT ABQ QUALITY CONTROL FOR A POSSIBLE ALT INCURSION. FRANKLY, I WAS SURPRISED THAT ANYTHING WAS BROUGHT UP BECAUSE 1) THE CTLR NEVER INDICATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND 2) A DEVIATION OF 200 IS HARD TO BELIEVE WOULD CAUSE ANY ALARMS FOR AS LITTLE A TIME AS IT OCCURRED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 118857: DURING CLIMBOUT OF ACR X (PHX-ELP) IN AUG, 1989, ABQ CENTER INSTRUCTED US TO LEVEL AT 13,000'. BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROX OF A TSTM, WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO MAINTAIN HDG (SID DEVIATION) AND AN EXPECTED CLIMB CLRNC IN 4 MINS. WE WERE THEN GIVEN CLRNC TO 14,000' DIRECT COCHISE VOR, AND ALSO ADVISED OF VICINITY TFC AT 15,000'. WHILE SCANNING FOR TFC OUR ALT PEGGED AT ABOUT 14,200' BEFORE CORRECTING BACK TO 14,000'. ABQ CENTER QUERIED US ON ALT AS WE PASSED 14,100' FOR 14,000'. IN MY OPINION, A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE MOMENTARY ALT GAIN WAS THE SEARCH FOR TFC IN TSTM INDUCED HAZINESS WHILE ALTERING COURSE AND ALT. ONCE RECOGNIZED, THE ALT DEVIATION WAS IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED. AS FAR AS WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, MORE DILIGENCE IN THE COCKPIT IS ALL I CAN SUGGEST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.