Some years ago,i read a report of an incident :-
A pilot flying across an isolated homestead, saw an odd aircraft at very low level, below him (ISTR the wings were different colours/patchy)
There was a Reg. which was written down and the unexpected encounter was reported.
The aircraft had been written -off. The homesteader had bought the remains, "repaired" them and installed an adapted V-8 (Rover?) car-engine, complete with cobbled-on water-cooling This, apparently, was not his first DIY training-flight/flight test.
He was successfully prosecuted, despite being miles from anywhere
.
Had an overflying stickybeak not dobbed him in, he could well be an accomplished pilot nowadays.....or a Darwin Award winner.