ACR-MLG VECTORED TO ALLOW OVERTAKING LGT TO PASS. MLG THEN HAD ALT EXCURSION.

Narrative

ON 6/MON/88 ON MLG FLT FROM SDF TO ORD WE WERE HANDED OFF TO INDIANAPOLIS AT FL220; ASSIGNED TO INCREASE TO 320 KTS. THE NEW CTLR ASKED OUR SPD AND WE TOLD HIM WE WERE INCREASING TO 320 KTS. HE ASKED OUR NORMAL CRUISE SPD AND WE SAID 280 KTS; BUT WE WERE INCREASING TO 320 KTS. HE SAID WE COULDN'T OUTRUN AN LGT THAT HAD 130 KTS ON US. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE NOT TRYING TO OUTRUN HIM; THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED 320 KTS. WE WAITED FOR A RESPONSE ON A DESIRED SPD AND WHEN ONE WAS NOT RECEIVED; WE CALLED BACK AND ASKED WHAT SPD HE WANTED; AND HE SAID 280 KTS; SO WE SLOWED TO 280 KTS. HE THEN GAVE US A HDG APPROX 90 DEGS OFF COURSE (I THINK TO ALLOW THE LGT TO PASS). THE CAPT WAS NOT FINISHED WITH THE ENG READINGS AND WAS BACK ON THE RADIOS AND SAID A HDG CLOSER TO OUR COURSE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. NO RESPONSE FROM THE CTLR. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US ANOTHER HDG CHANGE AND ASSIGNED US FL190. THE CAPT ASKED FOR THE SUPVR'S PHONE NUMBER WHICH THE CTLR GAVE US AND THEN HE SAID WE COULD HOLD (IMPLIED IF WE WEREN'T HAPPY WITH THE VECTORS). I STARTED DOWN AND WAS DISTRACTED BY THE CONVERSATION AND TRYING TO PLAN A POSSIBLE HOLD AND INADVERTENTLY CLBED 300' WHEN OUR ALT ALERT WENT OFF. I REALIZED THAT I WAS CLBING AND THAT THE ALT ALERT WINDOW HAD NOT BEEN RESET AND I STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. BY THE TIME I DID THAT I HAD GONE TO 400' ABOVE FL220. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE WAS NO ACFT NEARBY (WE COULD SEE THE LGT AS IT PASSED; ABOVE AND PROBABLY 3-4 MI AWAY). THE CAPT CALLED THE SUPVR ON THE GND AND DISCUSSED WHY THE ACFT BEING OVERTAKEN WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO ALLOW OTHER ACFT TO PASS AND THE SUPVR AGREED THAT IF THAT WAS WHAT HAPPENED; IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE AND THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT.