An emj crew, on approach to lga, was given clrncs meant for another aircraft and vice versa.

Attributes
ACN	557496
Time
Date	200208
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	557496
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

While working 134.9, the controller was working my flight and flight abcd which led to much confusion when the controller mixed up the identify numbers and began to issue the wrong vectors to each flight. My flight was turned inside traffic that was on final and told to descend, while flight abcd was heading straight for jfk at 2000 ft. When the controller figured out what he had done, he issued instructions to both aircraft by saying air carrier flight ending with 'X' or ending with 'Y' to stop the confusion. I never heard either air carrier X aircraft respond to the wrong flight number. It would help in the future if planning could keep similar call signs from operating at the same time in the same place.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMJ CREW, ON APCH TO LGA, WAS GIVEN CLRNCS MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT AND VICE VERSA.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING 134.9, THE CTLR WAS WORKING MY FLT AND FLT ABCD WHICH LED TO MUCH CONFUSION WHEN THE CTLR MIXED UP THE IDENT NUMBERS AND BEGAN TO ISSUE THE WRONG VECTORS TO EACH FLT. MY FLT WAS TURNED INSIDE TFC THAT WAS ON FINAL AND TOLD TO DSND, WHILE FLT ABCD WAS HEADING STRAIGHT FOR JFK AT 2000 FT. WHEN THE CTLR FIGURED OUT WHAT HE HAD DONE, HE ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO BOTH ACFT BY SAYING ACR FLT ENDING WITH 'X' OR ENDING WITH 'Y' TO STOP THE CONFUSION. I NEVER HEARD EITHER ACR X ACFT RESPOND TO THE WRONG FLT NUMBER. IT WOULD HELP IN THE FUTURE IF PLANNING COULD KEEP SIMILAR CALL SIGNS FROM OPERATING AT THE SAME TIME IN THE SAME PLACE.

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.