The U.S. airman who died after a rapid fall while rappelling from the rafters of a stadium before a college football game in Texas was a 15-year service member from Georgia, according to the Air Force.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson died after being taken to a hospital following Saturday's fall at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Nellis Air Force Base said in a statement. He had been rappelling toward the ground when spectators watched him plunge to the field before Navy's game against University of Texas at San Antonio.
The military says an investigation is underway. The demonstration was part of a pregame program for the crowd during the annual “Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans” game in San Antonio.
“This tragedy is felt deeply across the 57th Wing,” U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Scott C. Mills, 57th Wing commander, said in a statement.
Patterson was a Tactical Air Control Party instructor assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, and served for 15 years, according to the military. He was from Fort Stewart, Georgia, and had numerous decorations and commendations.
A video of the fall that was posted on social media showed Patterson in combat fatigues quickly descending to the ground feet first. The fall occurred with fans in the stands and a band and cheerleaders assembled nearby on the field. He was treated on the field for several minutes and taken away.
The sister of Patterson's wife declined to comment.
Game was delayed after emergency response
Officials delayed the start of the game for about 10 minutes following the fall.
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor said his team could see the effect that it had on the crowd of over 23,000 people as soon as players arrived on the field for the game, which his team won 38-34. Traylor said he had only been told there had been an “incident” that would delay kickoff.
“You could tell the energy was just gone,” he said. “It just really puts things in perspective. It really does.”
The American Conference, which includes UTSA, said in a statement that a discussion about whether the game should proceed at all had taken place between league officials, Alamodome management and local authorities.
At the time, the conference said, the military had not yet publicly confirmed the death. It made the decision to play the game “in accordance with conference bylaws” and support from other conference members.
“Respect for the family’s privacy and adherence to the military’s notification process guided the decision to mitigate speculation about the service member’s medical status and avoid additional distress for his family,” the statement said.
Air Force says demonstration included a team of specialists
Patterson was one of four military service members who were scheduled to participate in the pregame rappelling demonstration.
According to an Air Force website, the service members who were participating in the rappelling demonstration were part of a team that embeds with Army and Marine units and helps to direct air and artillery strikes from forward ground locations.
Part of their training includes learning to rapidly drop by rope, sometimes from helicopters that are 100 feet (about 30 meters) or more above the ground.
Military rappelling demonstrations have been done at sporting events before.
In 2016, soldiers rappelled from the ceiling at a major league baseball game in Florida and in 2012, pararescue troops with the Kentucky Air National Guard rappelled down the side of the University of Louisville stadium.
___
Wilder is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
