What happened
On December 22, 2024, at approximately 16:39 MST, a Van's RV-7A, registration N1FB, was involved in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal flight.
After departing Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR) and leveling off at 4,400 feet MSL, the pilot experienced abnormal engine vibrations. In an attempt to troubleshoot, the pilot enriched the mixture, but the engine continued to run poorly. Despite verifying that the fuel selector was in the correct position, the propeller control was full forward, and full throttle was applied, the engine RPM continued to decrease. The pilot noted a lack of tension on the mixture control cable and observed that adjusting the mixture had no effect on engine performance. After moving the throttle halfway toward idle, the engine roughness decreased slightly, but the engine appeared to lose total power. Applying full throttle resulted in intermittent surges in power.
The pilot notified Albuquerque Center of the engine failure and attempted to turn toward Gila Bend Municipal Airport (E6LT). Unable to reach the airport, the pilot performed a forced landing in a field containing tall desert vegetation. During the landing, the aircraft nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing.
The pilot sustained one minor injury, and the passenger was not injured.