[Res Nullius]

Not only possible but probable under the right circumstances. Once upon a time, I knew a couple of guys who owned a Champ which needed to be hand proped. If one were flying it alone into a remote area, the modus opperendi was to tie the banner release hook [installed for just this purpose]to a secure object with a length of rope, pre-set the mixture and throttle, and hand prop the little beast. Once in caught it was a scramble to re-enter and pull the release lever. Assuming the pilot in this case did not have a release device, the A/C probably 'escaped' while he was untieing the tail wheel.

[Dacus943]

Didn't a WWII B-17 land itself in England? I think the Crew bailed out over the Channel after the craft was shot-up over Germany. Some farmer found the B-17 landed in his field!