Narrative:

We were cleared from 12000 ft to 8000 ft by phx approach. Just as we were leveling at 8000 ft, approach asked us our altitude and then told us to immediately climb to 9000 ft and to make a 90 degree right turn. I used the autoplt to make the climb and turn. A moment after telling us to climb to 9000 ft and turn right 90 degrees, he told us to descend back to 8000 ft and continue turning right. The first officer responded each time to each controller's command. A moment after telling us to descend to 8000 ft, he told us to climb up to 9000 ft. I disconnected the autoplt and autothrottles, gave it full power and pulled it up to 9000 ft which was about 500 ft. Fortunately, everyone was seated and there were no injuries. Moments after leveling at 9000 ft and about 120 degrees from our original heading we received a TA TCASII alert. We visually witnessed an large transport aircraft 1 or large transport aircraft 2 pass off our left side 1000 ft below us at 8000 ft and about 1 1/2 mi off our left side. I asked the first officer to request the controller's work number which he did. The controller responded with, 'you guys are ok, everything is fine,' and gave us a frequency change. At no time did the controller tell us that there was a traffic conflict or point out the traffic. The autoplt responds slower than manual operation. If I had been aware of closing traffic I may have been able to respond a little faster, manually. We were in the stage of flight when the flight attendants normally pick up the cabin. A violent maneuver may have caused an injury. I hope that the next time there is a conflict that the controller will communicate the nature of the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR MLG ACFT DIRECTED BY ATC TO DEVIATE FROM 'STAR' ARR PROC CLRNC IN RESPONSE TO AN APPARENT ATC TFC COORD PROB.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FROM 12000 FT TO 8000 FT BY PHX APCH. JUST AS WE WERE LEVELING AT 8000 FT, APCH ASKED US OUR ALT AND THEN TOLD US TO IMMEDIATELY CLB TO 9000 FT AND TO MAKE A 90 DEG R TURN. I USED THE AUTOPLT TO MAKE THE CLB AND TURN. A MOMENT AFTER TELLING US TO CLB TO 9000 FT AND TURN R 90 DEGS, HE TOLD US TO DSND BACK TO 8000 FT AND CONTINUE TURNING R. THE FO RESPONDED EACH TIME TO EACH CTLR'S COMMAND. A MOMENT AFTER TELLING US TO DSND TO 8000 FT, HE TOLD US TO CLB UP TO 9000 FT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES, GAVE IT FULL PWR AND PULLED IT UP TO 9000 FT WHICH WAS ABOUT 500 FT. FORTUNATELY, EVERYONE WAS SEATED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. MOMENTS AFTER LEVELING AT 9000 FT AND ABOUT 120 DEGS FROM OUR ORIGINAL HDG WE RECEIVED A TA TCASII ALERT. WE VISUALLY WITNESSED AN LGT ACFT 1 OR LGT ACFT 2 PASS OFF OUR L SIDE 1000 FT BELOW US AT 8000 FT AND ABOUT 1 1/2 MI OFF OUR L SIDE. I ASKED THE FO TO REQUEST THE CTLR'S WORK NUMBER WHICH HE DID. THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH, 'YOU GUYS ARE OK, EVERYTHING IS FINE,' AND GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. AT NO TIME DID THE CTLR TELL US THAT THERE WAS A TFC CONFLICT OR POINT OUT THE TFC. THE AUTOPLT RESPONDS SLOWER THAN MANUAL OP. IF I HAD BEEN AWARE OF CLOSING TFC I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND A LITTLE FASTER, MANUALLY. WE WERE IN THE STAGE OF FLT WHEN THE FLT ATTENDANTS NORMALLY PICK UP THE CABIN. A VIOLENT MANEUVER MAY HAVE CAUSED AN INJURY. I HOPE THAT THE NEXT TIME THERE IS A CONFLICT THAT THE CTLR WILL COMMUNICATE THE NATURE OF THE PROB.

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.