What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After refueling in hood river, OR (4S2), pilot took off and was enroute to TX in tandem seat, open air cockpit, amateur-built bi-plane, when engine began to run rough. The pilot attempted to make landing at Hermiston, OR (hri) when engine quit at about 500' altitude. The airplane crash landed just north of hri in grassey field. Upon impact the landing gear collasped and the airplane slid approximately 30 feet. The pilot exited the airplane without injury. The pilot found that there was 20 gallons of fuel remaining but the fuel shutoff valve pointer was positioned about 45 degrees between open and shutoff, which caused fuel starvation to the engine. He said that the pointer extends beyond the idication plate and he must have inadvertently moved the valve with his knee when applying rudder action. He admitted it is a poor design.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER REFUELING IN HOOD RIVER, OR (4S2), PILOT TOOK OFF AND WAS ENROUTE TO TX IN TANDEM SEAT, OPEN AIR COCKPIT, AMATEUR-BUILT BI-PLANE, WHEN ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE LANDING AT HERMISTON, OR (HRI) WHEN ENGINE QUIT AT ABOUT 500' ALTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE CRASH LANDED JUST NORTH OF HRI IN GRASSEY FIELD. UPON IMPACT THE LANDING GEAR COLLASPED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT INJURY. THE PILOT FOUND THAT THERE WAS 20 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING BUT THE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE POINTER WAS POSITIONED ABOUT 45 DEGREES BETWEEN OPEN AND SHUTOFF, WHICH CAUSED FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE. HE SAID THAT THE POINTER EXTENDS BEYOND THE IDICATION PLATE AND HE MUST HAVE INADVERTENTLY MOVED THE VALVE WITH HIS KNEE WHEN APPLYING RUDDER ACTION. HE ADMITTED IT IS A POOR DESIGN.