| This day this aircraft, operated by 9 Stormo based at Grazzanise, encountered a pitch up problem on high level due to a damaged trim. The aircraft entered some +8 and –1 G manoeuvres in order to recover which succeeded reaching already low altitude. Pilot Ten. Piercarlo “Pierro” Ciacchi landed the aircraft safely but the aircraft was put into storage inside a maintenance hangar due to the possible high-G damages. Since the 104s would be phased out soon, the aircraft could easily be declared out of service (written off) and used for spare parts. However the aircraft was still in perfect condition and after some minor overhaul it went back into service. It even was transferred to 4 Stormo in August where it was used till October 2004 until its retirement coded as "4-21". Photo beneath shows the evidence of the high G-load sustained during that flight. |
