What happened
A flight was underway to transport supplies to a lodge in preparation for arriving seasonal guests. The pilot in command initiated the takeoff of the Cessna 185 floatplane using 10 degrees of flap during gusty wind conditions, despite the owner's manual supplement recommending 20 degrees of flap.
While the takeoff and initial climb proceeded without incident, the aircraft began to settle at 500 feet as the pilot commenced a downwind turn. This settling occurred even though the pilot applied full power. The pilot reported that the engine experienced no malfunctions during the flight. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was 252 pounds over the maximum authorized gross takeoff weight.