Narrative:

Deviation from assigned departure altitude. Barbados WX under influence of tropical wave. WX radar indicated heavy returns west, northwest and north. Tower advised departing runway 9. Requested current wind and was advised anemometer OTS. Windsock indicated strong west wind. Requested and received 27. Tower instructed right (north) turn after takeoff, and to maintain 3000' until 15 DME. Requested left turn (south) to avoid buildups and was so cleared. Takeoff roll VMC until vr, then IMC in heavy rain. Left turn after takeoff continued east heading. Moderate turbulence and IMC aircraft altitude varied form approximately 2900-3300'. Requested higher but tower reiterated 3000' clearance and denied higher. At this time briefly went VMC just southeast of the airport at approximately 3300'. Aircraft was descended to 3000' and maintained 3000' until cleared higher. WX conditions, moderate turbulence and heavy rain; lack of confidence in controling authority's (tower) instruction (i.e., downwind takeoff clearance, inoperative equipment, turn into WX); and language difficulty causing need to repeat most instructions more than once were all factors contributing to altitude deviation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW TROUBLE WITH BGI FO TWR CLRNC AND ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT IN TSTM ACTIVITY.

Narrative: DEVIATION FROM ASSIGNED DEP ALT. BARBADOS WX UNDER INFLUENCE OF TROPICAL WAVE. WX RADAR INDICATED HEAVY RETURNS W, NW AND N. TWR ADVISED DEPARTING RWY 9. REQUESTED CURRENT WIND AND WAS ADVISED ANEMOMETER OTS. WINDSOCK INDICATED STRONG W WIND. REQUESTED AND RECEIVED 27. TWR INSTRUCTED RIGHT (N) TURN AFTER TKOF, AND TO MAINTAIN 3000' UNTIL 15 DME. REQUESTED LEFT TURN (S) TO AVOID BUILDUPS AND WAS SO CLRED. TKOF ROLL VMC UNTIL VR, THEN IMC IN HEAVY RAIN. LEFT TURN AFTER TKOF CONTINUED E HDG. MODERATE TURB AND IMC ACFT ALT VARIED FORM APPROX 2900-3300'. REQUESTED HIGHER BUT TWR REITERATED 3000' CLRNC AND DENIED HIGHER. AT THIS TIME BRIEFLY WENT VMC JUST SE OF THE ARPT AT APPROX 3300'. ACFT WAS DSNDED TO 3000' AND MAINTAINED 3000' UNTIL CLRED HIGHER. WX CONDITIONS, MODERATE TURB AND HEAVY RAIN; LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN CTLING AUTHORITY'S (TWR) INSTRUCTION (I.E., DOWNWIND TKOF CLRNC, INOP EQUIP, TURN INTO WX); AND LANGUAGE DIFFICULTY CAUSING NEED TO REPEAT MOST INSTRUCTIONS MORE THAN ONCE WERE ALL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ALT DEVIATION.

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.