Hanson Plane Crash: Pilot Dies, Report Says

HANSON, MA — The pilot of the small airplane that crashed into the edge of a pond near Cranland Airport in Hanson Friday afternoon has died, the airport's owner told The Boston Globe.

The brothers' uncle, Don Conway, told reporters that the two, identified as Scott and Patrick Landis, were flying to spread their father's ashes. The brothers' father passed away two weeks ago from a battle with cancer.

The airport's owner, Peter Oakley, told the Globe that Scott Landis was the deceased pilot. Landis was a military pilot, according to his uncle.

"(Scott) is a very established pilot, flown in and out of here a million times," Conway said.

Both passengers had to be removed from the 1946 Aeronca 7CA plane by emergency responders. One of the passengers in the plane was flown to Tufts Medical Center in Boston while the other was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, according to State Police. Hanson Fire Deputy Chief Robert O'Brien said on Friday that one of the victims was conscious when he was removed from the plane and the other was not. Rescuers had to deal with lots of thick brush, mud, and aviation fuel in the water. Saws and hand tools were needed to remove the two men from the plane.

O'Brien said the crash was the airport's third in 20 years and the plane suffered significant front damage.

"It's a small airport, they have a skydiving outfit that comes out of here, but it's a pretty quiet airport. "We've never had big issues here or anything like that," O'Brien said.

Massachusetts State Police, a dive team, and the Plymouth County Technical Rescue Team assisted at the scene.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are at the scene investigating. The cause of the crash is unknown.

Jimmy Bentley contributed to this report.

Photo by Hanson Firefighters