Incident Overview
A pilot was practicing short water takeoffs with full flaps in a floatplane. After servicing the aircraft with a full load of fuel, the pilot initiated a takeoff with 20 degrees of flaps and successfully got the floatplane on the step.
Sequence of Events
As the pilot began applying full flaps, the aircraft encountered a gust of wind. The pilot reported that at that moment, they believed they "did not click in full flaps" and subsequently eased off the flaps. Following this, the aircraft stalled and contacted the water surface.
Damage Sustained
The impact with the water resulted in damage to the left wing tip, left rear pontoon strut, and the horizontal pontoon spreader bars. No other damage was reported.
Wind Conditions
The pilot reported the wind was from the northwest at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots at the time of the incident.