2 SMAS HAD A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION OF HOW TO FLY A PATTERN WHEN THE TWR WAS CLOSED.

Narrative

WHEN SANTA MARIA TWR IS OPEN; PATTERN ENTRY INFO IS ISSUED BASED ON THE DIRECTION FROM WHICH THE ACFT IS ARRIVING. WHEN TWR IS CLOSED; LCL PLTS TEND TO ENTER THE PATTERN CONSISTENT WITH THESE TYPICAL TWR INSTRUCTIONS; RATHER THAN THE STANDARD L HAND PROC FOR UNCTLED ARPTS. THESE PATTERNS INCLUDE R TFC RWY 30; R BASE ENTRIES; AND STRAIGHT IN APCHS TO RWY 30; THE DESIGNATED CALM WIND RWY. HOWEVER; TRANSIENT PLTS REFERRING TO PUBLISHED DIRECTORIES WOULD SEE THAT R TFC IS SPECIFIED ONLY FOR RWYS 2 AND 12 (ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY). APCHING THE SANTA MARIA AREA; I SELF-ANNOUNCED MY POS; ALT; AND INTENTIONS TO LAND. THE TWR WAS CLOSED; SO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONES WERE MADE ON THE CTAF. I FLEW A VERY CLOSE IN PATTERN (1/4 MI) TO RWY 30; AND WHILE TURNING BASE; A PIPER TRIPACER ANNOUNCED A 4 MI FINAL TO RWY 30 STRAIGHT IN. I HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT BUT HE DIDN'T SEE ME AT THAT POINT. I FLASHED MY LIGHTS (LNDG AND NAV) TO INCREASE MY VISIBILITY (AND INADVERTENTLY LEFT MY POS LIGHTS OFF). HE THEN ANNOUNCED HE HAD NOT REACHED THE 2 MI VFR RPTING POINT FOR RWY 30 (SHOPPING CTR); AS I TURNED A SHORT FINAL. I LANDED; TAXIED CLR OF THE RWY; AS HE CAME OVER THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 30. LCL PLTS SHOULD NOT ENTER PATTERNS IN NONSTANDARD WAYS EVEN IF THOSE WAYS ARE PROPER WHEN THE TWR IS OPEN; NON LCL PLTS WOULD NOT BE EXPECTING MOST OF THESE NONSTANDARD ENTRIES EVEN IF EVERYONE IS SELF-ANNOUNCING VIA CTAF. I SHOULD HAVE ENTERED L TFC FOR RWY 30 EVEN IF IT WAS LESS CONVENIENT. I CONSIDERED EXTENDING MY DOWNWIND TO ALLOW THE TRIPACER TO FLY HIS 4 MI FINAL; BUT SINCE I HAD HIM IN SIGHT; AND SINCE I WAS AT A LOWER ALT; AND HAD ALREADY TURNED BASE; I DECIDED MY LNDG WAS SAFE AND APPROPRIATE. WHILE CONSIDERING THE ITEMS ABOVE (WHILE INFLT); I WAS DISTRACTED MOMENTARILY AND FAILED TO RETURN MY POS LIGHTS TO THE ON POS (THE SUN WAS JUST SETTING AT THE TIME). I ATTRIBUTE MY DISTR PRIMARILY TO THE FACT THAT THE TRIPACER'S 4 MI FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT WAS ALSO HIS FIRST CALL ON THE CTAF. IF HE HAD CALLED WHEN 10 OR MORE MI OUT; ETC; I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HIS POS; ALT AND INTENTIONS AND WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SURPRISED AND THEN DISTRACTED. I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE AN FAA SAFETY SEMINAR EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF AVOIDING NONSTANDARD PATTERNS WHEN TWRS ARE CLOSED -- ESPECIALLY FOR LCL PLTS IN THE AREA.