Incident Overview
The pilot of a floatplane reported that during takeoff from a slough, the aircraft settled back onto the water after lifting off, struck a mud bar, and nosed over. The pilot stated that two other airplanes had departed from the same slough just before him, and he was the last to take off. He performed his takeoff run downstream on the slough.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, the airplane lifted off at an indicated airspeed of 50 to 55 knots. Immediately after becoming airborne, the airplane began to settle. The pilot, aware that the water was very shallow, attempted to maintain flight until reaching deeper water. However, the airplane settled back onto the slough, and the floats struck a mud bar. The impact caused the airplane to nosed over. The pilot noted that the wind was calm during the incident.
Aircraft and Flight Conditions
The flight was conducted as a business operation under 14 CFR Part 91 by a fishing lodge. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical irregularities during the takeoff. No other details about the aircraft, such as type or registration, were provided in the report. The time of day, exact location, and number of occupants were not specified.