Incident Summary
An amphibian airplane sustained substantial damage during a takeoff attempt when its float encountered waves. The pilot reported that as airspeed increased, the aircraft encountered progressively larger waves. Nearing rotation speed, the aircraft began hitting wave crests. Just before rotation, a snap was heard, prompting the pilot to abort the takeoff immediately. As the airplane decelerated rapidly, the front pilot-side float strut pierced through the fuselage near the pilot rudder pedals, and the entire float assembly collapsed.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage. Specific structural failure included the collapse of the float assembly and penetration of the fuselage by the strut.
Pilot Statement
The pilot provided a narrative of the event, describing the sequence of wave encounters and the abrupt failure. No further details were given regarding environmental conditions or aircraft configuration.