It's just pure bad luck that the pilot found themselves in a situation they had probably not come across before.
With that level of inexperience, they would not have acquired any street-smarts, and totally unaware of the position they were in.
Backing up a bit.....
Our first solo's are fraught with danger! We don't know a damn thing, but manage to get around the circuit. If an engine failure occurred during that first solo circuit, I wonder how we would have coped?