Narrative:

Aircraft was being flown on course on the fossl 4 arrival to phx at 8000 ft MSL. Visibility was hindered by setting sun and haze. No reports were given by approach control about any traffic in the area (class B airspace). While looking for traffic, at PM17 local the captain took control from the first officer (PF) and immediately initiated a thrust reduction to idle power and turned left towards southeast. The first officer did not see the traffic until evasive action was taken. The first officer had difficulty seeing due to shining bright sun, and also head in and out of cockpit due to his PF tasks. Captain initiated evasive action as he saw twin engine light aircraft at same altitude coming from left on what appeared to be at approximately a wsw heading. Aircraft appeared to make no change in heading and altitude and was almost close enough, as passing in front of us, to see his registration n-number. We maintained 8000 ft during entire evasive maneuver. I saw aircraft as it was at approximately our 11 O'clock position. Approach control was notified at approximately 16 DME on the arrival (195 degree course) by captain that we had a near miss. Control responded with no sense of either urgency or immediate concern other than to direct a 180 degree heading. No other information was asked for by approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FREIGHTER SO FLC RPT ON AN NMAC WITH A LIGHT TWIN WITHIN THE PHX TCA CLASS B AIRSPACE. NO TFC RPTS.

Narrative: ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN ON COURSE ON THE FOSSL 4 ARR TO PHX AT 8000 FT MSL. VISIBILITY WAS HINDERED BY SETTING SUN AND HAZE. NO RPTS WERE GIVEN BY APCH CTL ABOUT ANY TFC IN THE AREA (CLASS B AIRSPACE). WHILE LOOKING FOR TFC, AT PM17 LCL THE CAPT TOOK CTL FROM THE FO (PF) AND IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A THRUST REDUCTION TO IDLE PWR AND TURNED L TOWARDS SE. THE FO DID NOT SEE THE TFC UNTIL EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. THE FO HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING DUE TO SHINING BRIGHT SUN, AND ALSO HEAD IN AND OUT OF COCKPIT DUE TO HIS PF TASKS. CAPT INITIATED EVASIVE ACTION AS HE SAW TWIN ENG LIGHT ACFT AT SAME ALT COMING FROM L ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE AT APPROX A WSW HDG. ACFT APPEARED TO MAKE NO CHANGE IN HDG AND ALT AND WAS ALMOST CLOSE ENOUGH, AS PASSING IN FRONT OF US, TO SEE HIS REGISTRATION N-NUMBER. WE MAINTAINED 8000 FT DURING ENTIRE EVASIVE MANEUVER. I SAW ACFT AS IT WAS AT APPROX OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS. APCH CTL WAS NOTIFIED AT APPROX 16 DME ON THE ARR (195 DEG COURSE) BY CAPT THAT WE HAD A NEAR MISS. CTL RESPONDED WITH NO SENSE OF EITHER URGENCY OR IMMEDIATE CONCERN OTHER THAN TO DIRECT A 180 DEG HDG. NO OTHER INFO WAS ASKED FOR BY APCH.

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.