Narrative:

Inside arlin intersection on the arrival into phoenix; we were given a clearance to descend from 11000 ft to 8000 ft and to turn to a heading of 030 degrees. We were then given a heading of 010 degrees. At about 10300 ft; the controller advised us that she recommended that we climb to 11000 ft because she showed traffic at 12 O'clock position and 5 mi. As I reached up to adjust the altitude and begin a climb; I spotted the traffic which appeared to be a single engine high performance aircraft just right of our path and what appeared to be at an altitude very close to where we were at. I disconnected the autoplt; went to toga; and immediately started a climb and a shallow bank to the left since I could see the aircraft was slightly right of our course and I figured it would create a little bit more separation as he passed off our right side. At the same time that we started the evasive maneuver; we got an RA to climb and followed the commands as directed. We did not get a TA prior to getting the RA. As we initiated the climb I saw the aircraft coming toward us and held my breath hoping he would miss us. When the TCAS indicated clear of conflict; we returned to normal thrust and autoplt and continued the descent with a turn from ATC to intercept the localizer. The controller asked if we needed to take evasive action to which I replied; yes; considering we had just responded to an RA. We continued the approach to a normal landing and taxied to the gate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 ON ARLIN ARRIVAL TO PHX HAS NMAC WITH VFR ACFT. TRAINING IN PROGRESS FOR APCH CTLR MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR.

Narrative: INSIDE ARLIN INTXN ON THE ARR INTO PHOENIX; WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND FROM 11000 FT TO 8000 FT AND TO TURN TO A HDG OF 030 DEGS. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A HDG OF 010 DEGS. AT ABOUT 10300 FT; THE CTLR ADVISED US THAT SHE RECOMMENDED THAT WE CLB TO 11000 FT BECAUSE SHE SHOWED TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AND 5 MI. AS I REACHED UP TO ADJUST THE ALT AND BEGIN A CLB; I SPOTTED THE TFC WHICH APPEARED TO BE A SINGLE ENG HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT JUST R OF OUR PATH AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE AT AN ALT VERY CLOSE TO WHERE WE WERE AT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT; WENT TO TOGA; AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED A CLB AND A SHALLOW BANK TO THE L SINCE I COULD SEE THE ACFT WAS SLIGHTLY R OF OUR COURSE AND I FIGURED IT WOULD CREATE A LITTLE BIT MORE SEPARATION AS HE PASSED OFF OUR R SIDE. AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE STARTED THE EVASIVE MANEUVER; WE GOT AN RA TO CLB AND FOLLOWED THE COMMANDS AS DIRECTED. WE DID NOT GET A TA PRIOR TO GETTING THE RA. AS WE INITIATED THE CLB I SAW THE ACFT COMING TOWARD US AND HELD MY BREATH HOPING HE WOULD MISS US. WHEN THE TCAS INDICATED CLR OF CONFLICT; WE RETURNED TO NORMAL THRUST AND AUTOPLT AND CONTINUED THE DSCNT WITH A TURN FROM ATC TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE NEEDED TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO WHICH I REPLIED; YES; CONSIDERING WE HAD JUST RESPONDED TO AN RA. WE CONTINUED THE APCH TO A NORMAL LNDG AND TAXIED TO THE GATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.