Accidental Magnetos Switch-off During Climb Leads to Forced Landing

Incident Overview

During the initial climb, the pilot inadvertently contacted the guarded engine magneto switches on the left side of the cabin with his coat sleeve while operating the trim handle. This action caused the airplane's engine to shut down. Recognizing the problem but facing low altitude constraints, the pilot decided against attempting an engine restart and instead opted to land. The airplane touched down in an area populated with tree stumps and brush, resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.

Examination Findings

A subsequent examination of the magneto switches on the accident airplane, as well as on other similar models, revealed that a pilot's coat sleeve can inadvertently come into contact with these guarded switches. The pilot expressed that relocating the magneto switches to the instrument panel could have prevented the incident.