Surely he did it for a bet or to assist the revolution by delivering the top secret capitalist cheesy-crust recipe into the hands of the Fidelistas (Cuba taking a lead from the Chinese, who weren't really after the spyplane's techno-toys, but were keen to get the recipe for the crew's standard-issue doritos).
Surely no one could be so rattled by their first solo that they would fly over 100 miles of open water rather than try to land?
Or could they? Donald Sinden stuffs it in big time trying to solo a Moth under pressure from dad in David Lean's "The Sound Barrier", whilst his instructor has a smoke behind the tractor shed, but that's a film, and stuff like that happens in films. In real life, what are the accident stats for first solos? I've read a few accounts of broken nosewheels and such like, but has anyone really lost it attempting ex 14? Excuse morbid curiosity.
Meanwhile, hope the guy gets the Star of Lenin or whatever for heroic capture of imperialist fast food technology.