Narrative:

While at cruise at FL210 we received and acknowledged a descent to 11000 ft. When passing FL185 ZDC queried our altitude. We responded passing FL183 for 11000 ft. He said we were supposed to still be at FL210 and to stop our descent at FL180. He stated that the descent clearance was for another aircraft, even though we had clearly and distinctly read the clearance back after it was assigned. The flight continued to lga with no further incident. When on the ground the captain called and spoke to the ATC supervisor who stated there were 3 aircraft with similar call signs that led to the confusion for the controller and the air crew and that no further action was being pursued. Supplemental information from acn 385340: center had 3 flts with call signs that were similar.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT FLC RECEIVED AND READ BACK A DSCNT CLRNC, BUT AS THEY DSNDED THE CTLR QUESTIONED THEM AND DECLARED THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACR. LATER, A SUPVR SAID THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL ACRS WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS IN THE AREA, LEADING TO CONFUSION FOR THE CTLR AND THE ACRS. APPARENTLY, NO CONFLICT.

Narrative: WHILE AT CRUISE AT FL210 WE RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED A DSCNT TO 11000 FT. WHEN PASSING FL185 ZDC QUERIED OUR ALT. WE RESPONDED PASSING FL183 FOR 11000 FT. HE SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO STILL BE AT FL210 AND TO STOP OUR DSCNT AT FL180. HE STATED THAT THE DSCNT CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD CLRLY AND DISTINCTLY READ THE CLRNC BACK AFTER IT WAS ASSIGNED. THE FLT CONTINUED TO LGA WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. WHEN ON THE GND THE CAPT CALLED AND SPOKE TO THE ATC SUPVR WHO STATED THERE WERE 3 ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS THAT LED TO THE CONFUSION FOR THE CTLR AND THE AIR CREW AND THAT NO FURTHER ACTION WAS BEING PURSUED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 385340: CTR HAD 3 FLTS WITH CALL SIGNS THAT WERE SIMILAR.

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.