Flight trackers found Rob Holland's final flight before it was confirmed

HAMPTON, Va. — After more than 15,000 flight miles, legendary aerobatic pilot Rob Holland made his final journey Thursday morning en route to an event where he planned to do what he did best: captivate thousands of oohing and aahing onlookers with his twists, dives, and billowing smoke trails.

But Holland would not make it to his destination alive: his signature MXS-RH carbon fiber single-seat plane crashed at 11:39 a.m. at Langely Air Force Base in Hampton.

When news broke of an "aircraft incident" on base early Thursday afternoon, drips and drabs of information confirmed the aircraft type — the MXS-RH made by MX Aircraft — flight tracking enthusiasts rushed to sites to identify the plane.

Jon Sham/WTKR

Holland's plane departed Nashville International Airport (KBNA) at 8:47 a.m. Eastern/7:47 a.m. Central and had, according to FlightAware.com, had "landed" at Langley (KLFI) at 11:31 a.m.

It would be hours before Holland's official Facebook page at 4:48 p.m. would confirm his death, but posts like this one at 1:34 p.m. that was viewed more than 100,000 times, gave early indicators:

Websites like FlightAware.com report detailed tracking info from aircraft traveling between airports. They use a system called Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B), which relies on the aircraft's transponder and corresponding receivers at airports.

Several times per minute for Holland's nearly three-hour flight, FlightAware reported pings sent to nearby airports of his location, speed and altitude.

Throughout the flight are slight fluctuations in altitude — around 9,400 feet for most of the flight — and speed — around 215-220 mph, according to FlightAware.

Watch related: JBLE colonel discusses Holland's fatal plane crash at Langley

But around 11:15 a.m., Richmond and Williamsburg's airports show pings with rapid drops in altitude of more than 2,000 feet per minute, going from 9,200 feet to 2,600 feet in minutes.

FlightAware data shows him leveling off and beginning a typical descent speed for the next 12 minutes, according to pings at Norfolk International, Newport News/Williamsburg, and Langley, dropping rapidly again in the last three pings at 11:31 a.m.

FlightAware reported the "arrival" at 11:31:45 AM.

Using FlightAware data, the aircraft type, and information from the air show's schedule indicating only one aircraft of that type slated to appear, internet sleuths put together the tragedy before media outlets like us could comfortably confirm.