PLT DEVIATES FROM ALT SLIGHTLY DURING FRUSTRATING DISCUSSION WITH HIS CAPT.

Narrative

AS WE APCHED THE BFF AREA WE WERE PICKING UP MULTIPLE TSTM CELLS ON OUR WX RADAR SCREEN. THE CAPT ASKED ME HOW I RECOMMENDED PROCEEDING THROUGH THE AREA. I STATED THAT IF WE STAYED ON OUR COURSE WE WOULD BE TAKING THE BEST PATH. HE POINTED OUT THE WINDOW AT A BUILDUP AND ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE PASSING TO THE R OR L OF IT. I WASN'T SURE WHICH ONE HE WAS POINTING AT. THIS DISCUSSION CONTINUED FOR APPROX 30-40 SECONDS AND AS IT WENT ON; I BECAME MORE FRUSTRATED SINCE HIS QUESTION I FELT WAS IRRELEVANT TO WHAT WE SAW ON THE RADAR SCREEN AND TRYING TO POINT OUT A CLOUD BUILDUP FROM IN THE COCKPIT WHEN THERE ARE MANY CAN BE DIFFICULT. IN MY FRUSTRATION I MUST HAVE PULLED BACK ON THE CTL YOKE TO SLOWLY PUT US IN A CLB THAT NEITHER OF US NOTICED. WHEN WE FINALLY WERE DONE WITH THE DISCUSSION I LOOK AT THE ALTIMETER AND WE WERE APPROX 300 FT ABOVE OUR ASSIGNED FL240. I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED AND MENTIONED THIS TO THE CAPT. OUR ALT ALERTERS DON'T CHIME AND FLASH UNTIL WE ARE 300 FT HIGH OR LOW. WE NEVER HEARD OR SAW ANYTHING. WHAT I FEEL CAUSED THE PROB WAS THAT I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTR AND MY SCAN SUFFERED. TO PREVENT; I WILL MAKE SURE MY GRIP ON THE CTL YOKE IS LIGHT WHEN MY EYES ARE OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT AND TO MAINTAIN MY SCAN.