MLG HAS NMAC WITH SMA ON APCH TO ONT.

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ON APCH COMING FROM LAS ON ZIGGY STAR OVER THE MOUNTAINS WE WERE GIVEN A LATE DSCNT OUT OF 10000 FT DUE TO KNOWN VFR TFC AT 9500 FT. WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT AND WERE GIVEN DSCNT TO 4000 FT AND CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R. I STARTED TO CONFIGURE EARLY SINCE WE WERE HIGH AND MOST OF MY ATTN WAS INSIDE THE COCKPIT FLYING THE ACFT. APCH CTL CALLED OUT UNKNOWN TFC (NO XPONDER) AND WE LOOKED BUT DID NOT MAKE CONTACT. I CALLED FOR GEAR AND FLAPS AND FINAL DSCNT CHKLIST APPROX 6000 FT MSL. AFTER RESPONDING TO THE CHKLIST AND CHKING THE ITEMS; I LOOKED OUTSIDE AND SAW THE TFC AT 12:30 O'CLOCK; APPROX SAME ALT AND ABOUT 500 FT HORIZLY. I BROKE L AND THOUGHT I SAW HIM (IT WAS SOME KIND OF HIGH WING SMA; I THINK) ALSO BREAK L. IT WASN'T A VIOLENT ACTION; AND WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN THE CTLR INITIALLY CALLED THE TFC HE SAID UNKNOWN ALT; 'PROBABLY LOW.' I THINK THIS GAVE US A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. ALSO; OUR ATTN WAS TOO MUCH IN THE COCKPIT DUE TO THE UNUSUALLY HIGH PROFILE; AND THE READING OF THE CHKLIST. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT ALL GA ACFT BE EQUIPPED WITH MODE C XPONDER; AND GIVEN MORE EDUCATION ON HIGH USE AIRSPACE.