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.