Began climb without clearance while operating IMC.

Attributes
ACN	87200
Time
Date	198805
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czyz tracon : buf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	controller military : 7 controller radar : 19 flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 8000
ASRS Report	87200
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the previous leg we came ord-buf and let down through clouds 15000 tops, base about 8000'. It was extremely turbulent and lots of rime ice (moderate). On climbout of buf we requested and received an immediate turn out after takeoff. The SID was climb to 10000'. We got a couple of 90 degree and 180 degree turns until the turn into the aforementioned build-up with ice and turbulence. We immediately requested higher as the 10000 would put us into the WX. Buf departure switched us to yyz center and we asked for higher. He said, 'what altitude were you clrd to?' we told him we needed higher and he gave us FL230 but by then we had opted to climb through 11300 to miss the WX and remain visual with the severe WX. We felt it better to stay visual and climb above the severe WX without ATC clearance than to attempt a 180 degree turn without clearance and stay at 10000'. If we were visual sooner we would have called sooner for a higher altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEGAN CLIMB WITHOUT CLRNC WHILE OPERATING IMC.

Narrative: ON THE PREVIOUS LEG WE CAME ORD-BUF AND LET DOWN THROUGH CLOUDS 15000 TOPS, BASE ABOUT 8000'. IT WAS EXTREMELY TURBULENT AND LOTS OF RIME ICE (MODERATE). ON CLIMBOUT OF BUF WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN IMMEDIATE TURN OUT AFTER TKOF. THE SID WAS CLIMB TO 10000'. WE GOT A COUPLE OF 90 DEG AND 180 DEG TURNS UNTIL THE TURN INTO THE AFOREMENTIONED BUILD-UP WITH ICE AND TURB. WE IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED HIGHER AS THE 10000 WOULD PUT US INTO THE WX. BUF DEP SWITCHED US TO YYZ CENTER AND WE ASKED FOR HIGHER. HE SAID, 'WHAT ALT WERE YOU CLRD TO?' WE TOLD HIM WE NEEDED HIGHER AND HE GAVE US FL230 BUT BY THEN WE HAD OPTED TO CLIMB THROUGH 11300 TO MISS THE WX AND REMAIN VISUAL WITH THE SEVERE WX. WE FELT IT BETTER TO STAY VISUAL AND CLIMB ABOVE THE SEVERE WX WITHOUT ATC CLRNC THAN TO ATTEMPT A 180 DEG TURN WITHOUT CLRNC AND STAY AT 10000'. IF WE WERE VISUAL SOONER WE WOULD HAVE CALLED SOONER FOR A HIGHER ALT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.