What happened
The flight was the first of the day and was intended to verify the operational status of the Super Cub for scheduled glider tow activities. During the preflight inspection, the pilot visually checked the fuel selector position and noted it was pointing toward the left; this position appeared correct to the pilot.
No issues were observed during engine startup, the run-up, or the takeoff roll. However, during the climb out, the airplane lost engine power. The pilot initially attempted to slip the aircraft toward the runway but then ceased the maneuver in an attempt to clear the airport perimeter fence.
While attempting to clear the obstacle, the pilot checked the fuel selector and discovered it was out of position. After the pilot repositioned the selector, the engine stopped running entirely. The airplane landed short of the perimeter fence. During the subsequent rollout, the aircraft struck trees, causing the right main landing gear to collapse. The aircraft came to rest in an upright position past the fence. The pilot was not injured.
The pilot noted that he had more experience flying a Cessna 140, which features a similar fuel selector handle but operates in the opposite direction.