Narrative:

As we approached the abeam position (approximately 3 NM southeast of huo VOR) new york approach advised us allentown approach would not accept the handoff and that we were to proceed direct to huo VOR and hold north. After making the right turn towards the fix, our radar showed that these holding instructions would place us in the WX. The frequency was very busy and before we could advise ATC of the problem, the controller realized the situation and issued new instructions to hold east instead of north. By this time we were approaching the VOR since we were only 3 NM away when we received the initial holding instructions. Apparently the WX was closer to the VOR than we or the controller thought. At this time we began to encounter heavy rain, hail, severe turbulence and a severe updraft which caused us to climb 600-700 ft above our assigned altitude. The frequency was congested so we were unable to relay our situation to ATC and we began to take evasive action to escape the WX. The controller noticed our altitude gain and queried us. We advised our situation and we were given a 180 degree heading to join the airway outbound from the VOR and away from the WX. The rest of the flight was without incident and we landed safely at phl. Although our close proximity to the holding fix and the WX combined with the frequency congestion did not give us ample time to discuss an alternate plan with ATC, we should have been quicker to react by making an evasive turn.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV IN TURB.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED THE ABEAM POS (APPROX 3 NM SE OF HUO VOR) NEW YORK APCH ADVISED US ALLENTOWN APCH WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE HDOF AND THAT WE WERE TO PROCEED DIRECT TO HUO VOR AND HOLD N. AFTER MAKING THE R TURN TOWARDS THE FIX, OUR RADAR SHOWED THAT THESE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WOULD PLACE US IN THE WX. THE FREQ WAS VERY BUSY AND BEFORE WE COULD ADVISE ATC OF THE PROB, THE CTLR REALIZED THE SIT AND ISSUED NEW INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD E INSTEAD OF N. BY THIS TIME WE WERE APCHING THE VOR SINCE WE WERE ONLY 3 NM AWAY WHEN WE RECEIVED THE INITIAL HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. APPARENTLY THE WX WAS CLOSER TO THE VOR THAN WE OR THE CTLR THOUGHT. AT THIS TIME WE BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER HVY RAIN, HAIL, SEVERE TURB AND A SEVERE UPDRAFT WHICH CAUSED US TO CLB 600-700 FT ABOVE OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED SO WE WERE UNABLE TO RELAY OUR SIT TO ATC AND WE BEGAN TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO ESCAPE THE WX. THE CTLR NOTICED OUR ALT GAIN AND QUERIED US. WE ADVISED OUR SIT AND WE WERE GIVEN A 180 DEG HDG TO JOIN THE AIRWAY OUTBOUND FROM THE VOR AND AWAY FROM THE WX. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WE LANDED SAFELY AT PHL. ALTHOUGH OUR CLOSE PROX TO THE HOLDING FIX AND THE WX COMBINED WITH THE FREQ CONGESTION DID NOT GIVE US AMPLE TIME TO DISCUSS AN ALTERNATE PLAN WITH ATC, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN QUICKER TO REACT BY MAKING AN EVASIVE TURN.

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.