What happened
The accident occurred during the initial climb phase of flight in a float-equipped aircraft. According to the pilot's report, a critical error took place during the pre-flight inspection. She failed to untie the rear seat belt that had been secured to the aft control stick. Standard operating procedure for this specific type of floatplane requires maintaining full aft pressure on the control stick during taxi and takeoff.
Because the aircraft was carrying a low fuel load and encountered a headwind, it achieved lift-off earlier than usual. As the plane became airborne, the pilot attempted to lower the nose by moving the control stick forward but discovered it was physically locked in place. Realizing the situation, she reduced engine power while approximately 50 feet above the water surface.
The aircraft immediately nosed down and impacted the water. Fortunately, the pilot was wearing a special safety harness at the time of the incident. She reported that her pre-flight inspection had been too casual and acknowledged the need for a more methodical approach using checklists in the future.