HANSON — They met flying model airplanes.
Army National Guard Pilot Scott Landis, 34, of Hanson who was killed in a plane crash at the Cranland Airport last Friday, got involved in aviation through model aircraft, his lifelong schoolmate and best friend Scott Proulx said this week.
“I never continued on to fly real airplanes but have maintained a relationship with many area pilots,” said Proulx, a Hanson resident who lived at Cranland Airport for three years as a young boy.
Proulx spoke on behalf of the Landis family in a written statement this week.
“The family is doing as can be expected following a tragedy of this magnitude,” he said. “There is a tremendous amount of grief and sorrow. We are all devastated at the sudden loss of Scott Landis. He left this earth far too soon. Scott was a tremendous person and meant a great deal to many, many people.”
The Hanson community has felt a wave of emotion as residents learned of Scott Landis’ tragic death.
According to a statement from State Rep. Josh S. Cutler, D-Duxbury, the town is preparing to pay its respects to Scott Landis, a pilot who was serving in the 126th Aviation Battalion deployed as part of U.N. Peace Keeping Force in Kosovo.
A wake will be held from 4 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 30 at the Sullivan Funeral Home, 3 Maquan St., Hanson.
He was due to return to Kosovo next week before his untimely death.
Scott Landis and his brother Patrick, who was also critically injured, were in flight planning to scatter the ashes of their father Richard Landis, 70, of Hanson who passed away from cancer two weeks ago. Landis was home on leave for his father’s funeral.
Patrick Landis, 29, remains Monday in a medically induced coma, a family spokesman said. He was airlifted to Tufts Medical Center in Boston by medical helicopter following the crash Friday Aug. 24 and remains in intensive care.
Scott Landis, alongside his friend and military colleague Anthony (Tony) Celia, was also a Whitman-Hanson graduate, was known to exhibit his flying with a bit of humor as he hovered over his hometown with the Army Black Hawk aircraft to alert his loved ones that he was home — flying a little lower to “make some noise” and let everyone know he was here, Landis said as he shared stories with campers and friends at DARE camp in 2016 taking photos and educating those attending about the chopper.
Landis’ aunt, Marie Conway Real, of Hanson, has started a GoFund me page to assist the family. In a recent update she expressed ongoing care following the accident for Patrick. He is paralyzed from the waist down among numerous other injuries. Real is the sister of Donna Landis who just lost her husband of 40 years.
Scott Landis, who was an established pilot, co-owned the plane, according to published reports. Although the investigation is open and ongoing, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz’s office, witnesses reported the plane had only been in the air for a few minutes when a person on the ground reported hearing a sputter and stall of the engine. A dog walker found the downed plane alerting 911 from a bog area behind the Cranland Airport according to Cruz’s press release earlier in the week.
Celia who now lives in Carver and Scott Landis were both presented with awards of recognition for their service to town and country by Cruz.
Cruz acknowledged the passing of Chief Warrant Officer Landis on Twitter posting photo memories with the pilots from 2016.
“Our hearts are heavy after learning that Army/Nat’l Guard CW3 Scott Landis was killed in a plane crash in Hanson on Friday,” Cruz wrote. “On behalf of myself, the Sheriff, Police Chiefs and DARE Camp Staff, we would like to offer our deepest condolences to the Landis Family.”
Pegi Celia, who saw Landis grow up was overcome with grief Sunday. Her own three sons range in ages between the Landis sons. She said her son Anthony was unavailable for comment and he was emotionally supporting the Landis family — Scott’s widow Staci and toddler son —over the weekend. She tearfully declined further comments only calling the crash “a tragedy” of her son’s longtime friend.
How to help
Donations to help the family of Scott Landis may be made through
https://www.gofundme.com/scott-staci-and-jack-landis
Donations for Patrick Landis may be made through
https://www.gofundme.com/support-patrick-landis.