Narrative:

This altitude deviation occurred on flight from iah to tyr. After departing iah off of runway 15L, we turned right to a heading of 340 degrees and were restr to an altitude of 4000 ft MSL. This day was a WX day in tx and I was the PF of the aircraft. During the climb, I was observing a substantial buildup of twring cumulus clouds in front of us. While doing this, I failed to detect that I had climbed through our assigned altitude of 4000 ft. I did not realize this until 4400 ft in the climb. While attempting to level off, and then to descend, the departure controller gave us an amended altitude of 5000 ft MSL. My first officer was communicating our off-times to operations and failed to see that I flew through my altitude restr. Our altitude alerter was operational and we both acknowledged at 1000 ft to go until leveloff. This occurrence happened due my distraction with the WX instead of maintaining positive control of the aircraft with regards to altitude control. A better scan and possibly waiting until we were outside of the class B airspace to call operations with our off times could have prevented this situation. Supplemental information from acn 429532: at 3000 ft MSL, we both called 1000 ft to go. At about 3700 ft I told the captain that I was going to call company. As I heard the altitude alerter go off I looked up, altitude was 4300 ft MSL and climbing. I brought this to the attention of the captain. He leveled off at 4400 ft MSL, then ATC told us to climb to 5000 ft MSL. I was at fault for calling company sooner than I should have.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEPARTING BE1900 OVERSHOOTS ITS INITIAL ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000 FT.

Narrative: THIS ALTDEV OCCURRED ON FLT FROM IAH TO TYR. AFTER DEPARTING IAH OFF OF RWY 15L, WE TURNED R TO A HDG OF 340 DEGS AND WERE RESTR TO AN ALT OF 4000 FT MSL. THIS DAY WAS A WX DAY IN TX AND I WAS THE PF OF THE ACFT. DURING THE CLB, I WAS OBSERVING A SUBSTANTIAL BUILDUP OF TWRING CUMULUS CLOUDS IN FRONT OF US. WHILE DOING THIS, I FAILED TO DETECT THAT I HAD CLBED THROUGH OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000 FT. I DID NOT REALIZE THIS UNTIL 4400 FT IN THE CLB. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LEVEL OFF, AND THEN TO DSND, THE DEP CTLR GAVE US AN AMENDED ALT OF 5000 FT MSL. MY FO WAS COMMUNICATING OUR OFF-TIMES TO OPS AND FAILED TO SEE THAT I FLEW THROUGH MY ALT RESTR. OUR ALT ALERTER WAS OPERATIONAL AND WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED AT 1000 FT TO GO UNTIL LEVELOFF. THIS OCCURRENCE HAPPENED DUE MY DISTR WITH THE WX INSTEAD OF MAINTAINING POSITIVE CTL OF THE ACFT WITH REGARDS TO ALT CTL. A BETTER SCAN AND POSSIBLY WAITING UNTIL WE WERE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE TO CALL OPS WITH OUR OFF TIMES COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS SIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 429532: AT 3000 FT MSL, WE BOTH CALLED 1000 FT TO GO. AT ABOUT 3700 FT I TOLD THE CAPT THAT I WAS GOING TO CALL COMPANY. AS I HEARD THE ALT ALERTER GO OFF I LOOKED UP, ALT WAS 4300 FT MSL AND CLBING. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTN OF THE CAPT. HE LEVELED OFF AT 4400 FT MSL, THEN ATC TOLD US TO CLB TO 5000 FT MSL. I WAS AT FAULT FOR CALLING COMPANY SOONER THAN I SHOULD HAVE.

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.