| This Starfighter crashed while deployed at Trapani AB, during an exercise into the sea, South East of Favignana island, 13km out of the coast. It happened after take off from Trapani AB when the pilot encountered severe technical problems (the main landing gear failed to retract) and had to eject. It was about 11:20AM local time. Pilot Fabrizio Majerna (32) ejected and was ok. Technical problems occurred with landing gear in rotation during take off while a retraction level broke. After that the pilot was unable to land the aircraft. Beneath a picture taken at the flightline on Cervia Air Base in 1998 showing the aircraft in good condition and another picture which was taken by Michiel Vogelpoel at Bentivoglio where he found the wrecked tail section on the dump (May 25th, 2004). |
