Incident Overview
A pilot reported that during takeoff from the west end of Campbell Lake with a right quartering crosswind, the aircraft had just cleared the water at about 50 knots when a large gust of wind lifted the plane approximately 10 to 15 feet, raised the right wing, and then slammed the aircraft onto the lake surface. The struts were damaged as a result, but the pilot was able to taxi the aircraft back to the dock. No preimpact malfunction or failure of the aircraft was reported.
Witness Observation
A witness stated that the aircraft appeared to lift off prematurely with an excessively nose-high attitude, then stalled and struck the water.
Aftermath
Despite the damage to the struts, the aircraft remained controllable and the pilot taxied back to the dock without further incident.