Preflight and Takeoff
The pilot of a float plane reported that he preflighted the aircraft, pumped the floats, and checked for water prior to departure. After engine start, taxi, and pretakeoff checks, he set the flaps at the first notch. The pilot aborted his first takeoff run and taxied back for a longer run. He stated that the engine was producing normal power, but the aircraft still took longer than normal to reach flying speed.
Incident
At 55 miles per hour, the pilot set a second notch of flaps and the aircraft lifted out of the water. The pilot reported that the airspeed was decreasing, so he lowered the nose slightly, but the speed continued to decrease. Subsequently, the plane settled into trees near the end of the lake.
Additional Information
The aircraft was estimated to be 21 pounds over its maximum gross weight limit. The elevation of the lake was about 300 feet, with a density altitude of approximately 688 feet. The water on the lake was reported to be calm.