A LOCKHEED L1011 FLC DSNDED ON A CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER ACFT NEAR ATL.

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ON AUG/XA/99; I; CAPT X; WAS PIC OF ACFT X AND WAS APCHING ATL ARPT APPROX 10 MI S OF THE GOONS INTXN. IT WAS XA30. ACFT X DSNDED THROUGH FL290 FOR FL280 AS PER REQUESTED BY ZTL. ZTL GAVE A FREQ CHANGE TO 121.27. UPON CHKING IN ON FREQ 121.27; THE CREW HAD TO WAIT FOR THE CTLR TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RADIO CONTACT. THE RADIO FREQ WAS CONGESTED DUE TO INCLEMENT WX AND REQUESTS FOR DEVS. AS THE CAPT AND COPLT MONITORED THE FREQ; WE HEARD THE CTLR SAY; 'I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYBODY EXCEPT ACFT Y AND ANOTHER ACFT; THE CALL SIGN UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.' WE THEN HEARD THE CTLR SAY; 'ACFT X DSND IMMEDIATELY THROUGH FL230 TO MAINTAIN FL220.' WE IMMEDIATELY EXPEDITED ACFT X DSCNT THROUGH FL280 TO GET THROUGH FL230 TO MAINTAIN FL220. THE NEXT RADIO XMISSION WAS FROM ACFT Y INSTRUCTING THE CTLR HE WAS THROUGH FL230 TO MAINTAIN FL220. CAPT AND COPLT OF ACFT X BOTH FELT THE CTLR SHOULD BE QUESTIONED REGARDING ACFT X'S CLRNC TO FL220. AT THAT POINT; BELIEVING IT WAS POSSIBLE THE CLRNC WAS FOR ACFT Y; ACFT X LEVELED OFF AT FL260. 3 ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CONTACT THE CTLR AND HE RESPONDED ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT. WHEN THE CTLR RECOGNIZED OUR CALL HE SAID; 'NEGATIVE; THE CLRNC WAS FOR ACFT Y AND I WANT YOU AT FL280.' WE IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A CLB TO FL280 AND NO FURTHER EVENTS OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT WITHIN 25 MI OF ACFT X AS SHOWN ON THE TCASII.