Accident Description
A private certificated pilot was operating a float-equipped airplane under Title 14, CFR Part 91, ferrying supplies and a passenger from a hunting camp. The takeoff was from a lake. The pilot reported that the airplane was slow to come up on step due to heavy chop, and winds were gusting to 30 knots. The airplane became airborne, then settled back into the water. It lifted off again and began to climb slowly. According to the pilot, the airplane climbed to about 100 feet above ground level as it crossed the shore, then began to descend. The engine was at full power, and the pilot lowered the nose to gain airspeed, but the descent continued. The pilot maneuvered around some large trees before the airplane struck smaller trees and settled onto the tundra. The float supports collapsed and the right wing struck the ground.
Pilot's Statement
In a written statement, the pilot noted that he should have departed with a lighter load or waited for better weather. He also wrote that he should have re-evaluated the conditions after the airplane settled into the water following the first liftoff.