Well, guess what. If he had a "panel light" it was probably a chip light -- and ya can't really take off again without at least taking a look at the chip detector in the appropriate gearbox. Convenient excuse, though.
Not half as convenient as the fact that his buddy just happened to be waiting in the lot where he had an “emergency” landing.
My only question is – who is in more trouble, legally – the idiot pilot or the idiot shooter?