A B757 captain's control column autoplt disconnect switch failed; item deferred per MEL.

Attributes
ACN	699985
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	699985
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : autopilot disconnect other other : 1
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I had the captain control column autoplt disconnect switch going off by itself with associated mask caution lights and horn. It was doing it every 10-15 seconds on its own. Switch was not stocked at ZZZ so I continued to placard the switch per MEL 22-02. My worry was that even though the switch was placardable it would/could go off in-flight and was a safety concern to the autoplt system if it disconnected. So I removed wires from the switch so it would not disconnect the autoplt in-flight. The part I needed was not available.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CAPT'S CTL COLUMN AUTOPLT DISCONNECT SWITCH FAILED; ITEM DEFERRED PER MEL.

Narrative: I HAD THE CAPT CTL COLUMN AUTOPLT DISCONNECT SWITCH GOING OFF BY ITSELF WITH ASSOCIATED MASK CAUTION LIGHTS AND HORN. IT WAS DOING IT EVERY 10-15 SECONDS ON ITS OWN. SWITCH WAS NOT STOCKED AT ZZZ SO I CONTINUED TO PLACARD THE SWITCH PER MEL 22-02. MY WORRY WAS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE SWITCH WAS PLACARDABLE IT WOULD/COULD GO OFF INFLT AND WAS A SAFETY CONCERN TO THE AUTOPLT SYS IF IT DISCONNECTED. SO I REMOVED WIRES FROM THE SWITCH SO IT WOULD NOT DISCONNECT THE AUTOPLT INFLT. THE PART I NEEDED WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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.