What happened
A trainee pilot, accompanied by an instructor in the right seat, taxied a floatplane out for departure. As the aircraft was positioned into the wind and the crew began applying takeoff power, a sudden wind gust lifted the right wing. This caused the aircraft to become momentarily airborne and pivot, resulting in a slow impact with the water and a nose-over.
At the time of the accident, a cold front was moving through the Puget Sound area. All nearby Puget Sound stations recorded strong, gusty winds from the south. The pilot reported that the wind conditions at the time of the event were 25 knots from 150 degrees, with gusts reaching 43 knots.