Narrative:

Set up for ILS xl after all-nighter to ZZZ. Conditions at ZZZ : rain; 1300 ft ceiling; visibility about 5 miles; dark; 15 knots of wind from northeast. Assigned 170 knots to marker. Reached marker at flaps 20; 170 knots. Called for gear down at marker then flaps 25. I didn't wait long enough between gear and flaps 25; so configuration warning horn sounded. At first I didn't recognize what the horn was for so I grabbed the yoke thinking it might be the autopilot disengaging. I then realized it was just the configuration warning. I leaning to right to look for the flaps 30 speed limit (I normally turn up the panel lights on approach; but I forgot this time). After reading the flap limit speed I looked back at ADI and saw we were in a nose low and left bank attitude. It was then I realized the autopilot was off. I must have hit the autopilot disconnect switch when I grabbed the yoke. I pulled back up to flight director and got back on correct localizer/GS path. At this time ATC issued a low altitude alert. Rest of approach and landing uneventful.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 Captain report accidentally disconnecting the autopilot; becoming distracted and receiving a low altitude alert from ATC while on final approach.

Narrative: Set up for ILS XL after all-nighter to ZZZ. Conditions at ZZZ : rain; 1300 ft ceiling; visibility about 5 miles; dark; 15 knots of wind from NE. Assigned 170 knots to marker. Reached marker at flaps 20; 170 knots. Called for gear down at marker then flaps 25. I didn't wait long enough between gear and flaps 25; so configuration warning horn sounded. At first I didn't recognize what the horn was for so I grabbed the yoke thinking it might be the autopilot disengaging. I then realized it was just the configuration warning. I leaning to right to look for the flaps 30 speed limit (I normally turn up the panel lights on approach; but I forgot this time). After reading the flap limit speed I looked back at ADI and saw we were in a nose low and left bank attitude. It was then I realized the autopilot was off. I must have hit the autopilot disconnect switch when I grabbed the yoke. I pulled back up to flight director and got back on correct LOC/GS path. At this time ATC issued a low altitude alert. Rest of approach and landing uneventful.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.