  We report on the g factor measurement of the isomer in $^{61}Fe$ ($E^{*}=861
keV$). The isomer was produced and spin-aligned via a projectile-fragmentation
reaction at intermediate energy, the Time Dependent Perturbed Angular
Distribution (TDPAD) method being used for the measurement of the g factor. For
the first time, due to significant improvements of the experimental technique,
an appreciable residual alignment of the isomer has been observed, allowing a
precise determination of its g factor: $g=-0.229(2)$. Comparison of the
experimental g factor with shell-model and mean field calculations confirms the
$9/2^+$ spin and parity assignments and suggests the onset of deformation due
to the intrusion of Nilsson orbitals emerging from the $\nu g_{9/2}$.
