Read more: Local
The Calhoun County coroner's office has identified the two men who died in Monday night's tragic plane crash.The coroner states the victim's as 47-year-old Glenn "Rusty" Shannon and 34-year-old Carl "Bucky" Sinnot.
Officials say around 7 p.m. Monday, Shannon's star duster bi-plane went down in a heavily-wooded area about a quarter-mile of of Highway 601 in St. Matthews off Longstreet Road near the Fort Motte community.
Officials say Shannon was piloting the plane when it went down.
Flying was something friends and family say Shannon love to do but little knew of his other passion--giving back to the community.
"Rusty was a heck of a nice guy," says Bob Hooper.
Hooper manages the Calhoun Country Club in St. Matthews, where Shannon used to organize charity golf tournaments.
"He was always in front of the line, trying to do something for somebody or help somebody," says Hooper.
Hooper says Shannon has done at least 15 charity tournaments at the club since 1991.
This year, there were plans for another.
Shannon was working on a more personal project, hoping to raise money for a friend's family.
That tournament is this coming weekend.
"I think Rusty would be pleased that we we're still going to have the tournament," says Hooper.
Federal investigators are still trying to piece together just what went wrong a few hundred yards from the private Calhoun County airstrip.
Shannon's plane crashed Monday night in a wooded area near the strip, killing him and passenger Buck Sinnot.
It could be months before a final report on the crash is complete.
"I was at a plane show with him about four weeks ago and he asked me if I wanted to go up with him. I'd go up with him anytime," says Hooper.
But now, people like Bob Hooper are trying to move forward after the loss of a friend who gave so much to others.
Visitation for Rusty Shannon is set for this Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Thompson Funeral Home in Lexington.
His funeral is set for Friday.
His friend, Bucky Sinnot, will be laid to rest Thursday at Gethsemane Baptist Church.
