Narrative:

While in cruise at 6500 ft; the aircraft began to slowly roll to the right. I corrected by trying to turn back to the left; but the controls were tight and pulling hard to the right; and 'snapping' back to the left approximately every 3 seconds. It was very difficult to fly a heading without the plane wanting to turn right. I contacted bdl approach on 127.8 and requested landing clearance. I refused to land at closer airports because I was already lined up for their runway 24. I landed; without incident; but with extremely hard pulling forces on the ailerons. When I shut the plane down; and turned off the avionics master switch; the autoplt circuit breaker popped. The autoplt master switch was in the 'off' position at this time; and during my preflight and cruise flight; I had not used the autoplt at all during the flight; and the autoplt master was never turned on; yet the circuit breaker popped when the avionics master was shut off. I reported the problem to the FBO at my home base (isp). I did not declare an emergency because my request for immediate landing was granted; and crash fire rescue equipment was already responding. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot was able to overcome the hard pull to the right aileron and landed at bdl. The airplane was parked and the gust lock engaged. The autoplt master switch was still in the 'off' position and when switching the avionics switch to 'off' the autoplt circuit breaker tripped. The airplane was a rental and no follow-up was made by the reporter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 IN CRUISE AT 6500 FT WITH AUTOPLT NOT ENGAGED HAD AIRPLANE BEGIN A SLOW R BANK. PLT CORRECTED; BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO ENTER R BANKS; PULLING HARD AND EVERY 3 SECONDS WOULD SNAP BACK TO THE L.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT 6500 FT; THE ACFT BEGAN TO SLOWLY ROLL TO THE R. I CORRECTED BY TRYING TO TURN BACK TO THE L; BUT THE CTLS WERE TIGHT AND PULLING HARD TO THE R; AND 'SNAPPING' BACK TO THE L APPROX EVERY 3 SECONDS. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FLY A HDG WITHOUT THE PLANE WANTING TO TURN R. I CONTACTED BDL APCH ON 127.8 AND REQUESTED LNDG CLRNC. I REFUSED TO LAND AT CLOSER ARPTS BECAUSE I WAS ALREADY LINED UP FOR THEIR RWY 24. I LANDED; WITHOUT INCIDENT; BUT WITH EXTREMELY HARD PULLING FORCES ON THE AILERONS. WHEN I SHUT THE PLANE DOWN; AND TURNED OFF THE AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH; THE AUTOPLT CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED. THE AUTOPLT MASTER SWITCH WAS IN THE 'OFF' POS AT THIS TIME; AND DURING MY PREFLT AND CRUISE FLT; I HAD NOT USED THE AUTOPLT AT ALL DURING THE FLT; AND THE AUTOPLT MASTER WAS NEVER TURNED ON; YET THE CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED WHEN THE AVIONICS MASTER WAS SHUT OFF. I RPTED THE PROB TO THE FBO AT MY HOME BASE (ISP). I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER BECAUSE MY REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE LNDG WAS GRANTED; AND CFR WAS ALREADY RESPONDING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME THE HARD PULL TO THE R AILERON AND LANDED AT BDL. THE AIRPLANE WAS PARKED AND THE GUST LOCK ENGAGED. THE AUTOPLT MASTER SWITCH WAS STILL IN THE 'OFF' POS AND WHEN SWITCHING THE AVIONICS SWITCH TO 'OFF' THE AUTOPLT CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPPED. THE AIRPLANE WAS A RENTAL AND NO FOLLOW-UP WAS MADE BY THE RPTR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.