Narrative:

After takeoff, we recognized the van nuys departure would take us into the moderate rain showers. We requested and received a 270 degree heading. (Takeoff runway bur 25.) initial 270 heading appeared satisfactory for climb, however the radar picture began to change and we encountered heavy rain and increasingly moderate turbulence. We requested additional deviation to the south to avoid the echo. The controller instead instructed us to fly a 320 degree and contact ZLA. This routing would have taken the flight directly into the echo. Rain and turbulence were still increasing in intensity. I refused the 320 degree heading and continued the original 270 heading. PF (copilot), distracted by WX radar and increasing turbulence, deviated assigned altitude by approximately 300' to approximately 13,300 and immediately corrected to the assigned 13000. Departure controller appeared unaware of the difficulty circumnaving the rain shower. Condition in the area had been reported as moderate to occasional severe turbulence. Aircraft continued on 270 degree heading and was able to turn north in 4-5 mi, clearing the aforementioned WX. Obvious lack of communication between the aircraft and ATC. Confusion with departure control's instructions combined with heavy rain, high cockpit noise (due to the rain), contributed to the distraction resulting in the altitude overshoot. Corrective actions: use of autoplt by PF. Controller could have possibly issued deviation at pilot's discretion depending on traffic conditions at the time. Contributing factors: busy 2-MAN cockpit. Anxiety/distraction caused by turbulence and close proximity to storm compounded by bad communications between ATC and aircraft overloaded pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG ENCOUNTERED HEAVY RAIN IN CLIMB. UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH CTLR'S CLRNC. HAD ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, WE RECOGNIZED THE VAN NUYS DEP WOULD TAKE US INTO THE MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS. WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A 270 DEG HDG. (TKOF RWY BUR 25.) INITIAL 270 HDG APPEARED SATISFACTORY FOR CLIMB, HOWEVER THE RADAR PICTURE BEGAN TO CHANGE AND WE ENCOUNTERED HEAVY RAIN AND INCREASINGLY MODERATE TURBULENCE. WE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL DEVIATION TO THE S TO AVOID THE ECHO. THE CTLR INSTEAD INSTRUCTED US TO FLY A 320 DEG AND CONTACT ZLA. THIS ROUTING WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE FLT DIRECTLY INTO THE ECHO. RAIN AND TURBULENCE WERE STILL INCREASING IN INTENSITY. I REFUSED THE 320 DEG HDG AND CONTINUED THE ORIGINAL 270 HDG. PF (COPLT), DISTRACTED BY WX RADAR AND INCREASING TURBULENCE, DEVIATED ASSIGNED ALT BY APPROX 300' TO APPROX 13,300 AND IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED TO THE ASSIGNED 13000. DEP CTLR APPEARED UNAWARE OF THE DIFFICULTY CIRCUMNAVING THE RAIN SHOWER. CONDITION IN THE AREA HAD BEEN REPORTED AS MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCE. ACFT CONTINUED ON 270 DEG HDG AND WAS ABLE TO TURN N IN 4-5 MI, CLEARING THE AFOREMENTIONED WX. OBVIOUS LACK OF COM BETWEEN THE ACFT AND ATC. CONFUSION WITH DEP CTL'S INSTRUCTIONS COMBINED WITH HEAVY RAIN, HIGH COCKPIT NOISE (DUE TO THE RAIN), CONTRIBUTED TO THE DISTR RESULTING IN THE ALT OVERSHOOT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: USE OF AUTOPLT BY PF. CTLR COULD HAVE POSSIBLY ISSUED DEVIATION AT PLT'S DISCRETION DEPENDING ON TFC CONDITIONS AT THE TIME. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: BUSY 2-MAN COCKPIT. ANXIETY/DISTR CAUSED BY TURBULENCE AND CLOSE PROX TO STORM COMPOUNDED BY BAD COMS BETWEEN ATC AND ACFT OVERLOADED PLTS.

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.