B737-300 CREW CLBED ABOVE THE CLRED ALT IN ZHU CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative

DURING CLB TO FL370 (FO FLYING); WE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT DEVIATING FOR AN AREA OF STORMS AHEAD. I QUERIED ATC AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC OFF THE SID; DIRECT TO SJI; WITH AMENDED ALT OF FL330. I FAILED TO RESET THE ALT TO FL330; AND DID NOT ELICIT A CONFIRMATION FROM THE FO. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT HEAR THE AMENDED ALT CLRNC; WHICH IS WHY HE WOULDN'T REPEAT IT. I BELIEVE WE WERE BOTH FOCUSING ON THE NEW RTE CLRNC; ENTERING IT INTO THE FMC; AND CHKING FOR SPACING FROM THE STORMS. PASSING FL340; ATC QUERIED US ABOUT OUR ALT CLRNC. I WAS OFF THE RADIO AT THE TIME AND THE FO REPLIED THAT WE WERE CLBING TO FL370. CTR STOPPED OUR CLB AND SENT US BACK TO FL330; AND TURNED US FOR TFC. THE OTHER ACFT WAS TURNED AS WELL. THE WX WAS A DISTR; BUT NO EXCUSE FOR MISSING AN ALT. GREATER ATTN TO ALT PROCS WAS NEEDED; AS WELL AS BETTER LISTENING. PERHAPS REPEATING THE WORD 'AMENDED' WOULD BETTER ALERT OUR ATTN TO THE CHANGE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 561863: DURING CLBOUT FROM HOU TO BWI; WE WERE CLRED FROM FL230 TO FL370. WE WERE ALSO CLRED TO DEVIATE AROUND SOME WX JUST AHEAD OF US. CAPT REQUESTED DIRECT MONTGOMERY VOR TO HELP US GET AROUND SOME TSTM IN THE AREA. AT THAT TIME; ATC DENIED OUR REQUEST; BUT GAVE US DIRECT SJI VORTAC. I PROGRAMMED THE FMC AND TURNED DIRECT TO SEMMES. I GUESS ATC GAVE US AN AMENDED ALT OF FL330. CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED BUT FORGOT TO RESET THE ALT BOX FOR FL330. AS WE CLBED THROUGH FL345; ATC REQUESTED US TO DSND BACK DOWN TO FL330 AND MAKE A R TURN 30 DEGS. I DID NOT HEAR THE AMENDED ALT AND THOUGHT THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL370. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR THIS DEV WERE THE MISCOM DURING CLBOUT; AND THE WORKLOAD TRYING TO AVOID TSTMS IN THE AREA.