What happened
A private certificated pilot was preparing for departure from a lake in a float-equipped airplane. During the pre-departure phase, the aircraft collided with an unidentified object, which resulted in a puncture to the left float. The pilot did not realize the damage had occurred at the time of the collision, but the float subsequently began to partially fill with water.
As the takeoff run progressed, the aircraft became airborne while in ground effect. However, the airplane failed to achieve a climb. Due to the inability to climb, the pilot aborted the takeoff attempt. The aircraft settled back onto the surface of the lake, resulting in a hard impact. The pilot was not injured during the event and initially believed there was no significant damage to the fuselage.
The investigation
A postaccident inspection of the aircraft was conducted to assess the structural integrity of the airframe. The inspection revealed that a fuselage longeron had been bent approximately 2 inches. This deformation was located adjacent to the attachment point for the left, aft float. To address this damage, a mechanic developed a plan to remove the bent section of the longeron and install a repair sleeve.