After takeoff, intending to shut off landing and taxi lights, reporter inadvertently turned off magn...

Attributes
ACN	321898
Time
Date	199511
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 200 msl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : anc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	321898
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The engine failure occurred during the transition phase between aircraft clean-up after takeoff and the climb/cruise portion. After engine failure occurred, the dead engine was idented/verified and secured. Assistance for vectors to the ILS runway 6R anc was then requested, though an emergency was never declared. Anc departure was very helpful and professional in providing assistance throughout the short flight back to the runway, culminating with the local fire trucks waiting for me on the ground. I was then escorted back to our base of operation and accompanied until the aircraft was shut down. Human error was the sole factor in this incident. I didn't realize what caused the failure until I was on the ground thinking back through the events. I apparently, after takeoff, unconsciously reached for and attempted to shut off the landing taxi light switches which situation just above the right magnetos. In the process, I shut off the right magnetos instead. I say unconsciously, because I still don't remember the action, but upon turning the magnetos back on, on the ground, the engine started right up. A run-up and inspection showed no further discrepancies in the engine or aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER TKOF, INTENDING TO SHUT OFF LNDG AND TAXI LIGHTS, RPTR INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF MAGNETO SWITCHES AND R ENG QUIT. RETURNED TO ARPT FOR UNEVENTFUL SINGLE ENG LNDG.

Narrative: THE ENG FAILURE OCCURRED DURING THE TRANSITION PHASE BTWN ACFT CLEAN-UP AFTER TKOF AND THE CLB/CRUISE PORTION. AFTER ENG FAILURE OCCURRED, THE DEAD ENG WAS IDENTED/VERIFIED AND SECURED. ASSISTANCE FOR VECTORS TO THE ILS RWY 6R ANC WAS THEN REQUESTED, THOUGH AN EMER WAS NEVER DECLARED. ANC DEP WAS VERY HELPFUL AND PROFESSIONAL IN PROVIDING ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT THE SHORT FLT BACK TO THE RWY, CULMINATING WITH THE LCL FIRE TRUCKS WAITING FOR ME ON THE GND. I WAS THEN ESCORTED BACK TO OUR BASE OF OP AND ACCOMPANIED UNTIL THE ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN. HUMAN ERROR WAS THE SOLE FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT. I DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE UNTIL I WAS ON THE GND THINKING BACK THROUGH THE EVENTS. I APPARENTLY, AFTER TKOF, UNCONSCIOUSLY REACHED FOR AND ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF THE LNDG TAXI LIGHT SWITCHES WHICH SIT JUST ABOVE THE R MAGNETOS. IN THE PROCESS, I SHUT OFF THE R MAGNETOS INSTEAD. I SAY UNCONSCIOUSLY, BECAUSE I STILL DON'T REMEMBER THE ACTION, BUT UPON TURNING THE MAGNETOS BACK ON, ON THE GND, THE ENG STARTED RIGHT UP. A RUN-UP AND INSPECTION SHOWED NO FURTHER DISCREPANCIES IN THE ENG OR ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

After takeoff, intending to shut off landing and taxi lights, reporter inadvertently turned off magneto switches and right engine quit. Returned to airport for uneventful single engine landing.