AN UNPREPARED LOW TIME C120 OWNER LANDED AT BFL WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative

I WAS ON A FLT FROM HEALDSBURG (031) TO TSP. UPON ARRIVING OVER TSP; I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE RWY LIGHTS ON. AFTER SEVERAL PASSES AND ATTEMPTS; I MADE THE DECISION TO LAND AT BAKERSFIELD INSTEAD. I TURNED ON MY FLASHLIGHT TO STUDY THE ARPT AND FREQS; AND AFTER A BRIEF FLICKER; THE FLASHLIGHT DIED. I CHANGED THE BATTERIES; BUT IT WAS NO USE. THE BULB WAS DEAD. EXCEPT FOR FAINT PANEL LIGHTS; THE INSIDE OF MY AIRPLANE WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY DARK; AND I COULD NOT READ THE CHART OR ARPT FACILITY/DIRECTORY. BEING RELATIVELY UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA; I FIGURED BAKERSFIELD WAS STILL MY BEST BET; SINCE I COULD FIND IT EASILY. I FLEW OVER AT 6000 FT AND ATTEMPTED TO FIND THE TWR FREQ BY STARTING AT 118.00 AND WORKING UP TO 119.00; AND CALLING 'RADIO CHK.' THIS FAILED; EXCEPT I DID FIND THE ATIS (118.60). MEANWHILE; I CIRCLED THE ARPT WORKING MY WAY DOWN TO 4000 FT; WAGGING MY WINGS AND LOOKING FOR LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. AFTER THIS FAILED; I FIGURED I HAD BETTER GO AHEAD AND DROP BELOW THE CLASS D CEILING TO 2000 FT. AFTER CIRCLING SEVERAL TIMES AND GETTING NO RESPONSE FROM THE TWR; I ENTERED A L DOWNWIND PATTERN FOR RWY 12L (THE ATIS RPTED WINDS FROM 140 AT 6 KTS). I FLEW BY THE TWR AT 1500 FT IN THE PATTERN; THEN BROKE OFF TO MAKE ONE MORE ENTRY; HOPING THE TWR WOULD SEE ME. ON THE SECOND ENTRY; I RECEIVED NO LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. SEEING NO ONE ELSE IN THE PATTERN; I WENT AHEAD AND LANDED. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN; I WITNESSED A SINGLE ENG PLANE ENTER RWY 30R AND BEGIN TKOF ROLL. DUE TO THE LENGTH OF THE RWY (10;857 FT) WE WERE WELL OVER 1 MI APART; BUT I PULLED OFF THE RWY TO THE R ANYWAY; AND WATCHED THE AIRPLANE FLY PAST. I THEN TAXIED BACK ACROSS AND PARKED AND WAITED FOR SOMEONE TO ARRIVE. SECURITY TOOK MY IDENT; AND I FOUND OUT FROM THEM; THE TWR NEVER SAW ME UNTIL THE OTHER AIRPLANE WAS IN THE AIR. I THEN CONTACTED THE TWR VIA SECURITY'S CELL PHONE AND DISCUSSED IT WITH THEM. THEY ASKED ME WHY MY LNDG LIGHTS WERE NOT ON; AND I INFORMED THEM THAT MY PLANE HAS NO LNDG LIGHTS (IT'S A 1947 CESSNA 120). BETTER TRIP PLANNING; INCLUDING AT LEAST 2 FLASHLIGHTS; OR OVERHEAD LIGHTING; PLUS FLASHLIGHTS; WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS PROB. ALSO; INSTALLING A LNDG LIGHT TO COMPLIMENT MY STROBES AND NAV LIGHTS WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.