AN ATR42 WITH A PREVIOUS HISTORY OF TORQUE GAUGE PROBS HAS GAUGE FAILURE AFTER TKOF FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY AN AUTOFEATHER.

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ATR42-300 DEPARTING SDQ FOR SJU. LESS THAN 1 MIN AFTER DEP; THE #2 ENG TORQUE GAUGE FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE AUTOFEATHERING SYS TO ACTIVATE THINKING THE ENG HAD FAILED. HAVING TO FOLLOW COMPANY PROCS; WE HAD TO EXECUTE THE SINGLE ENG MEMORY ITEMS AND CHKLIST SHUTTING THE #2 ENG DOWN. A SINGLE ENG LNDG WAS EXECUTED AND WE TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP. NO PAX OR CREW MEMBERS WERE INJURED -- THE ACFT RECEIVED NO DAMAGE. AN EMER WAS DECLARED. THE ONLY ACTION RESULTING FROM POOR JUDGEMENT WAS THE FLT PRIOR TO THE DEP. ON ARR INTO SDQ; THE #2 TORQUE GAUGE OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY. I CALLED MAINT AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE GAUGE WOULD NOT CAUSE AN AUTOFEATHER IF IT FAILED ON TKOF. THE GAUGE WORKED FINE ON TAXI OUT AND TKOF ROLL; BUT FAILED AT 500 FT AGL. IN CONCLUSION; THE 2 FACTORS OF POOR JUDGEMENT ARE: 1) MAINT POOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SYS AND GIVING THE OK FOR DEP. 2) MY DECISION TO TAKE OFF WHILE BEING CONCERNED ABOUT THE SIT. WE SHOULD HAVE WROTE THE GAUGE UP AND HAD MAINT COME OUT AND LOOK AT IT.