Incident Overview
A pilot operating an amphibious float-equipped airplane reported that they forgot to retract the landing gear following a takeoff from a hard surface runway. Shortly after departing, the pilot landed the aircraft on water with the wheels still extended, causing the airplane to immediately nose over.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated that they felt rushed during the preceding takeoff due to a potential conflict with another aircraft in the vicinity. They suspected that their concern about the location of the approaching traffic interrupted their normal habit of retracting the gear. The pilot explicitly noted that the oversight was a result of this distraction.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's report, the aircraft departed from a runway with a hard surface. After becoming airborne, the pilot did not retract the wheel portion of the amphibious floats. The subsequent landing on water with the wheels down led to the aircraft nosing over. No additional details regarding the aircraft type, registration, date, location, or occupants were provided in the source material.
Contributing Factors
The pilot attributed the failure to retract the gear to a heightened sense of urgency caused by the potential traffic conflict. This distraction reportedly disrupted the established routine of gear retraction after takeoff.