IFR SMA MAKING APCH TO NON TWR ARPT ACCUSED OF CUTTING IN FRONT OF ACFT ON APCH.

Narrative

I HAD A RUDE; AND FORTUNATELY NOT PAINFUL; AWAKENING RECENTLY THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE AS A MEDIUM HOUR PLT; I THOUGHT I WAS SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH THE SYS AND COMFORTABLE IN MY KNOWLEDGE. I WAS FLYING A NIGHT FLT TO A LCL ARPT (CIC) AND DECIDED TO PRACTICE IFR PROCS. THE CONDITIONS WERE VFR FOR THE BULK OF THE FLT. WHILE BEING VECTORED TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR AN ILS; I FELT SECURE AND CODDLED BY MY KNOWLEDGE THAT ATC WAS WATCHING OUT FOR ME AND SPENT TIME PREPARING THE ACFT FOR LNDG AND STUDYING THE APCH PLATE. WHEN ESTABLISHED ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE; ABOUT 8 MI OUT I HEARD OVER THE CHICO FREQ (TWR WAS CLOSED) SOME RATHER UNFLATTERING REMARKS ABOUT AN ACFT THAT HAD JUST CUT AHEAD OF AN ACFT THAT WAS APCHING FINAL. THE ACFT WAS WITHIN 1/4 MI AND AT ABOUT 5 O'CLOCK. I BRISTLED AT THE CRITICISM AND SHARPLY RETORTED; COMFORTABLY IN MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE SYS; THAT I WAS UNDER THE CTL OF ATC AND ON AN ILS FINAL. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND I QUERIED ATC ABOUT THE OTHER ACFT AND THEY RPTED THAT THE ACFT APPARENTLY HAD NO MODE C AND HE WAS NOT DETECTABLE ON THEIR RADAR. I INFORMED MY UPSET COLLEAGUE OF THE AIR THAT HE WAS INVISIBLE TO ATC; BUT ALAS; NO RESPONSE. UPON LNDG AND REVIEWING THE SITUATION; I BECAME SOMEWHAT CONCERNED ABOUT MY RELIANCE AND COMPLACENCY ON THE CTL THAT FLYING IFR AFFORDED ME AND DISCUSSING THE SITUATION WITH THOSE THAT WERE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE; INCLUDING AN EMPLOYEE OF THE FAA; I LEARNED OF MY IGNORANTLY MISPLACED SENSE OF SECURITY FLYING IFR AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAINTAINING VIGILANCE AND SEP IN VFR CONDITIONS WHILE IFR. THE ALLURING SECURITY OF BEING UNDER THE GREAT MAN'S RADAR SURVEILLANCE IS NOT NEARLY AS COMFORTING AS IT APPEARS. PERHAPS WE FORGETFUL MORTALS SHOULD BE RETESTED ON THE BASICS MORE THOROUGHLY AND FREQUENTLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ADVISED TYPE ACFT AND THE OTHER ACFT TYPE. ALT WAS ABOUT 3000' AT TIME OF INCIDENT. ESTIMATED MISS DISTANCE AS 1400'. HAD FILED IFR FROM DEP STATION AND WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THE CTLR WOULD KEEP HIM CLR OF ALL TFC. NOW UNDERSTANDS EVEN THOUGH IFR; IT IS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN TFC WATCH FOR ACFT OPERATING VFR. WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE THE ACFT INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT.