What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During firefighting operations, aircraft was picking up water from Belews Lake as an in-flight operation. On 13th water pickup, wind shifted to crosswind then gusty quartering tailwind, increasing the distance required to climb from the lake and clear obstacles. Aircraft drifted left while climb was initiated, resulting in a minor tree strike. Damage not noticed by flight crew until visually scanning, while enroute to fire drop zone. Damage limited to amphibious landing gear pontoon with small dents in wing leading edge. Minor damage. No injuries. Aircraft returned to base at hickory, NC without further issues. privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS, AIRCRAFT WAS PICKING UP WATER FROM BELEWS LAKE AS AN IN-FLIGHT OPERATION. ON 13TH WATER PICKUP, WIND SHIFTED TO CROSSWIND THEN GUSTY QUARTERING TAILWIND, INCREASING THE DISTANCE REQUIRED TO CLIMB FROM THE LAKE AND CLEAR OBSTACLES. AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT WHILE CLIMB WAS INITIATED, RESULTING IN A MINOR TREE STRIKE. DAMAGE NOT NOTICED BY FLIGHT CREW UNTIL VISUALLY SCANNING, WHILE ENROUTE TO FIRE DROP ZONE. DAMAGE LIMITED TO AMPHIBIOUS LANDING GEAR PONTOON WITH SMALL DENTS IN WING LEADING EDGE. MINOR DAMAGE. NO INJURIES. AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO BASE AT HICKORY, NC WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^