Narrative:

The captain and I were holding, awaiting clearance for the VOR DME approach into jackson hole, wy. We were assigned 16000 ft MSL while an aircraft was on the ILS approach, 16000 ft being necessary for us for the ILS missed approach procedure for the inbound aircraft. We were monitoring the jackson unicom/CTAF as well to listen for the progress of the inbound airplane. Another airplane, a C414 on the ground at jackson, called on center frequency looking for IFR departure clearance and was informed of the delay due to inbound traffic. The C414 reported that he would depart VFR and pick up his clearance after departure. We monitored his call on unicom/CTAF that he was departing runway 18, which would put him heading in our direction. Shortly afterward, center advised us of VFR traffic. I reported negative contact and that we were in IMC. The target appeared on our tcasi, escalating in threat from the open white circle, to closed white, to closed yellow and we received the aural 'traffic' advisory. The captain, PF, disconnected the autoplt to initiate a climb and I reported to ATC that we were climbing. At approximately 16300 ft the captain got visual contact with the C414 and observed it at an estimated 700 ft away and an estimated 35 degree banked turn for avoidance. I never saw the aircraft, but I did see the captain get pretty wide-eyed. The C414 had clearly been flying in IMC without a clearance. The airport may have been VFR, and indeed was upon our arrival, but holding at 16000 ft we were at far less than VFR visibility. Jackson hole airport is very busy and very delayed when the WX is down. The center controllers work very hard and provide good service. All sorts of airplanes, including cpr jets to B757S, fly in and out of this uncontrolled airport. Perhaps more could be done to improve IFR traffic flow. And perhaps pilots ought not fly without a required clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB120 IN THE HOLDING PATTERN CLBS TO AVOID A CLBING C414 DEPARTING VFR IN IMC CONDITIONS FROM JACKSON HOLE, WY.

Narrative: THE CAPT AND I WERE HOLDING, AWAITING CLRNC FOR THE VOR DME APCH INTO JACKSON HOLE, WY. WE WERE ASSIGNED 16000 FT MSL WHILE AN ACFT WAS ON THE ILS APCH, 16000 FT BEING NECESSARY FOR US FOR THE ILS MISSED APCH PROC FOR THE INBOUND ACFT. WE WERE MONITORING THE JACKSON UNICOM/CTAF AS WELL TO LISTEN FOR THE PROGRESS OF THE INBOUND AIRPLANE. ANOTHER AIRPLANE, A C414 ON THE GND AT JACKSON, CALLED ON CTR FREQ LOOKING FOR IFR DEP CLRNC AND WAS INFORMED OF THE DELAY DUE TO INBOUND TFC. THE C414 RPTED THAT HE WOULD DEPART VFR AND PICK UP HIS CLRNC AFTER DEP. WE MONITORED HIS CALL ON UNICOM/CTAF THAT HE WAS DEPARTING RWY 18, WHICH WOULD PUT HIM HDG IN OUR DIRECTION. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, CTR ADVISED US OF VFR TFC. I RPTED NEGATIVE CONTACT AND THAT WE WERE IN IMC. THE TARGET APPEARED ON OUR TCASI, ESCALATING IN THREAT FROM THE OPEN WHITE CIRCLE, TO CLOSED WHITE, TO CLOSED YELLOW AND WE RECEIVED THE AURAL 'TFC' ADVISORY. THE CAPT, PF, DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT TO INITIATE A CLB AND I RPTED TO ATC THAT WE WERE CLBING. AT APPROX 16300 FT THE CAPT GOT VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE C414 AND OBSERVED IT AT AN ESTIMATED 700 FT AWAY AND AN ESTIMATED 35 DEG BANKED TURN FOR AVOIDANCE. I NEVER SAW THE ACFT, BUT I DID SEE THE CAPT GET PRETTY WIDE-EYED. THE C414 HAD CLRLY BEEN FLYING IN IMC WITHOUT A CLRNC. THE ARPT MAY HAVE BEEN VFR, AND INDEED WAS UPON OUR ARR, BUT HOLDING AT 16000 FT WE WERE AT FAR LESS THAN VFR VISIBILITY. JACKSON HOLE ARPT IS VERY BUSY AND VERY DELAYED WHEN THE WX IS DOWN. THE CTR CTLRS WORK VERY HARD AND PROVIDE GOOD SVC. ALL SORTS OF AIRPLANES, INCLUDING CPR JETS TO B757S, FLY IN AND OUT OF THIS UNCTLED ARPT. PERHAPS MORE COULD BE DONE TO IMPROVE IFR TFC FLOW. AND PERHAPS PLTS OUGHT NOT FLY WITHOUT A REQUIRED CLRNC.

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.