An E145 captain reported a miscom with ZDC when climbing out from orf.

Attributes
ACN	511220
Time
Date	200105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : hpw.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16700 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 139 flight time total : 5400 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	511220
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We received a climb to FL230 and readback was to climb to FL230. We had previously been given a climb to 16000 ft. The transmission with instruction to climb to FL230 was either for another aircraft or the controller gave the wrong call sign for the climb. The readback must have been blocked by another aircraft. The controller noticed us climbing through 16700 ft and instructed us to maintain 16000 ft. We descended back to 16000 ft. No conflicts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN E145 CAPT RPTED A MISCOM WITH ZDC WHEN CLBING OUT FROM ORF.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED A CLB TO FL230 AND READBACK WAS TO CLB TO FL230. WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN GIVEN A CLB TO 16000 FT. THE XMISSION WITH INSTRUCTION TO CLB TO FL230 WAS EITHER FOR ANOTHER ACFT OR THE CTLR GAVE THE WRONG CALL SIGN FOR THE CLB. THE READBACK MUST HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY ANOTHER ACFT. THE CTLR NOTICED US CLBING THROUGH 16700 FT AND INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN 16000 FT. WE DSNDED BACK TO 16000 FT. NO CONFLICTS.

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.