N1612Q

The local personal flight was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The private pilot reported that he and a passenger were attempting to takeoff from a remote lake in his float-equipped airplane. During the initial climb, the airplane struck trees on the perimeter of the lake, became inverted in the trees, and caught fire. The pilot and passenger were not injured, but the airplane received structural damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot was not certificated for seaplane operations, and noted in his report to the NTSB that he had probably overloaded the airplane prior to takeoff. He indicated there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane.