What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was water taxiing the seaplane and performing a magneto check on the step. The pilot said he was completing the run up phase, and the airspeed was close to liftoff speed, when a gust of wind caught the left wing. The airplane became airborne prematurely, and the wind blew the airplane sideways where it struck trees. The reported wind at the time of the accident was 330 degrees at 11 knots, with gusts to 15 knots. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane or engine. The water rudder was found in the down position.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS WATER TAXIING THE SEAPLANE AND PERFORMING A MAGNETO CHECK ON THE STEP. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS COMPLETING THE RUN UP PHASE, AND THE AIRSPEED WAS CLOSE TO LIFTOFF SPEED, WHEN A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE LEFT WING. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE PREMATURELY, AND THE WIND BLEW THE AIRPLANE SIDEWAYS WHERE IT STRUCK TREES. THE REPORTED WIND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 330 DEGREES AT 11 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS TO 15 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINE. THE WATER RUDDER WAS FOUND IN THE DOWN POSITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.