PLT OF AN UNLIGHTED J3 DEPARTS ON A FLT WITH A PLANNED DURATION THAT WILL RESULT IN AN ARR AFTER SUNSET. PLT FLIES IN VIOLATION OF FAR PART 91 PT 209.

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SUNSET ACCORDING TO THE WX CHANNEL WAS TO BE XB39. I WAS ABLE TO START TAXIING AT APPROX XA15. IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD I KEPT THINKING ABOUT MY TIME AVAILABLE TILL SUNSET; BUT CONTINUED ON MY PLAN. BECAUSE WINDS WERE FROM THE N; I HAD TO MAKE THE FURTHEST TAXI POSSIBLE (APPROX 1 1/2 MI) TO TKOF INTO THE WIND. I FLEW TO MY DESIRED LOCATION; DID 1 LNDG (FULL STOP); AND THEN DEPARTED FOR HOME. ABOUT 1/2 WAY BACK; I REALIZED THAT I WAS GETTING VERY CLOSE TO SUNSET AND MAY NOT GET BACK IN TIME. BY THE TIME I SET UP FOR A PATTERN ENTRY AND WAS ON DOWNWIND; THE SUN WAS BELOW THE HORIZON. I MADE A LNDG AND TAXIED WITHOUT INCIDENT. OVERALL; THERE WAS NO TIME OF REAL DANGER; BUT IN REFLECTING ON OTHER POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES; SEVERAL THINGS COME TO MIND: 1) BY FLYING AND TAXIING AFTER SUNSET WITHOUT NAV LIGHTING; I WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE FARS. 2) I CREATED AN UNSAFE SIT FOR OTHER PLTS THAT COULD HAVE NOT SEEN ME DURING DUSK/DIFFICULT LIGHTING CONDITIONS. 3) THIS SIT WAS COMPOUNDED BY NOT HAVING A RADIO. 4) HAD I BEEN MORE DELAYED FOR ANY REASON MY SIT COULD HAVE COMPROMISED MY OWN SAFETY TO A MUCH GREATER DEGREE (FORCED LNDG; ETC). GIVE YOURSELF A TIME CUSHION; SIMILAR TO A FUEL CUSHION; OF AVAILABLE LIGHT.