If the pilot was in the back seat, why didn't he see the downward-pointing switches stick out of the side of the fuselage?
Where the switches are inside and one set is out of sight of the pilot (Chippy, for instance) they are guarded to prevent accidental switching off.
I knew a meat bomber pilot who had the last man out switch off the mags and take the key with him. Had they been toggles he could have just switched them on again instead of having to do a forced landing with no power!
Toggle switches rule! Only cars have key ignition! ;-)