Narrative:

We were climbing out from the surface to our assigned altitude of 2000 ft MSL. I became distraction by severe WX and was watching the radar. I didn't hear the '1000 ft prior' alert and noticed my altitude was up to 2300 ft MSL (300 ft high). I pushed the aircraft over and corrected the altitude. We were busy, but I should have been 'flying the plane' while the captain worked the radar as I discussed on my 'takeoff briefing.' FAA was on board in cockpit jump seat. The captain quickly asked if we were cleared to a higher altitude. ATC replied, 'yes, I thought we cleared you to climb and maintain 10000 ft.' the captain also asked if there was 'any other traffic in the area.' gulfport tower replied, 'you are the only traffic within 40 mi.' neither ATC nor FAA mentioned the altitude excursion nor did we ask if they noticed it visually, meaning the FAA on the jump seat or by ATC using radar. To the best of my knowledge, the FAA (was a maintenance inspector) was not aware of the situation. If ATC did notice, they didn't ask us to check our altitude. If they (ATC) did previously clear us to 10000 ft, we all missed the radio call and there is nothing to report, other than a missed radio call.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC9-32 FLC, DISTR BY WX, CLBED ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. NO CONFLICT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING OUT FROM THE SURFACE TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 2000 FT MSL. I BECAME DISTR BY SEVERE WX AND WAS WATCHING THE RADAR. I DIDN'T HEAR THE '1000 FT PRIOR' ALERT AND NOTICED MY ALT WAS UP TO 2300 FT MSL (300 FT HIGH). I PUSHED THE ACFT OVER AND CORRECTED THE ALT. WE WERE BUSY, BUT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN 'FLYING THE PLANE' WHILE THE CAPT WORKED THE RADAR AS I DISCUSSED ON MY 'TKOF BRIEFING.' FAA WAS ON BOARD IN COCKPIT JUMP SEAT. THE CAPT QUICKLY ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO A HIGHER ALT. ATC REPLIED, 'YES, I THOUGHT WE CLRED YOU TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT.' THE CAPT ALSO ASKED IF THERE WAS 'ANY OTHER TFC IN THE AREA.' GULFPORT TWR REPLIED, 'YOU ARE THE ONLY TFC WITHIN 40 MI.' NEITHER ATC NOR FAA MENTIONED THE ALT EXCURSION NOR DID WE ASK IF THEY NOTICED IT VISUALLY, MEANING THE FAA ON THE JUMP SEAT OR BY ATC USING RADAR. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THE FAA (WAS A MAINT INSPECTOR) WAS NOT AWARE OF THE SIT. IF ATC DID NOTICE, THEY DIDN'T ASK US TO CHK OUR ALT. IF THEY (ATC) DID PREVIOUSLY CLR US TO 10000 FT, WE ALL MISSED THE RADIO CALL AND THERE IS NOTHING TO RPT, OTHER THAN A MISSED RADIO CALL.

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.