Narrative:

Flying inbound on the coyot 1 arrival at 8000 ft and 250 KTS inside brusr intersection about 25 DME from phx VOR. Approach gave us a 080 degree heading for small aircraft traffic at 1 O'clock position, and 7800 ft and climbing. In the turn we got a 'descend, descend now' RA commanding a 1500-2000 FPM rate. We complied and I called approach to inform them what we were doing. We could see the TCASII target indicating inside 1 mi and 100 ft separation but never had visual contact with the aircraft. At 7300 ft the RA ended and we received a 'clear of conflict.' I called approach to tell them we were starting a climb back to 8000 ft and returning to course. Immediately after we received a call from approach to turn to a 180 degree heading and climb to 8000 ft. Approach said there was VFR traffic at 11 O'clock position and 7000 ft and 3 mi. While we were complying with this clearance a second RA sounded 'climb, climb.' the captain spotted this traffic visually and we got the 'clear of conflict.' from looking at the class B airspace chart, it looks like the first conflict was from traffic exiting the TCA. We depend on approach control to have the radar picture of all the traffic and during a conflict to turn us away from further danger. During the phone conversation while in the blocks at phx with phx TRACON operations supervisor the captain questioned if a right turn wouldn't have been a better choice during the first conflict. Supervisor reply was that it was up to the flight crew to make the final decision and overrule an ATC clearance if needed. We had no time to discuss other options or question approach with the closure rate we were experiencing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 ON DSCNT FOR PHX EXPERIENCED 2 TCASII RA'S.

Narrative: FLYING INBOUND ON THE COYOT 1 ARR AT 8000 FT AND 250 KTS INSIDE BRUSR INTXN ABOUT 25 DME FROM PHX VOR. APCH GAVE US A 080 DEG HDG FOR SMALL ACFT TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK POS, AND 7800 FT AND CLBING. IN THE TURN WE GOT A 'DSND, DSND NOW' RA COMMANDING A 1500-2000 FPM RATE. WE COMPLIED AND I CALLED APCH TO INFORM THEM WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE COULD SEE THE TCASII TARGET INDICATING INSIDE 1 MI AND 100 FT SEPARATION BUT NEVER HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. AT 7300 FT THE RA ENDED AND WE RECEIVED A 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' I CALLED APCH TO TELL THEM WE WERE STARTING A CLB BACK TO 8000 FT AND RETURNING TO COURSE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM APCH TO TURN TO A 180 DEG HDG AND CLB TO 8000 FT. APCH SAID THERE WAS VFR TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK POS AND 7000 FT AND 3 MI. WHILE WE WERE COMPLYING WITH THIS CLRNC A SECOND RA SOUNDED 'CLB, CLB.' THE CAPT SPOTTED THIS TFC VISUALLY AND WE GOT THE 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' FROM LOOKING AT THE CLASS B AIRSPACE CHART, IT LOOKS LIKE THE FIRST CONFLICT WAS FROM TFC EXITING THE TCA. WE DEPEND ON APCH CTL TO HAVE THE RADAR PICTURE OF ALL THE TFC AND DURING A CONFLICT TO TURN US AWAY FROM FURTHER DANGER. DURING THE PHONE CONVERSATION WHILE IN THE BLOCKS AT PHX WITH PHX TRACON OPS SUPVR THE CAPT QUESTIONED IF A R TURN WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A BETTER CHOICE DURING THE FIRST CONFLICT. SUPVR REPLY WAS THAT IT WAS UP TO THE FLT CREW TO MAKE THE FINAL DECISION AND OVERRULE AN ATC CLRNC IF NEEDED. WE HAD NO TIME TO DISCUSS OTHER OPTIONS OR QUESTION APCH WITH THE CLOSURE RATE WE WERE EXPERIENCING.

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.