https://www.dailymail.com/spor...e-football-game.html

By ALEX RASKIN, US SPORTS NEWS EDITOR
PUBLISHED: 08:59 EDT, 18 October 2026 | UPDATED: 09:30 EDT, 18 October 2026

An Air Force service member has died from injuries suffered when he fell more than 150 feet from the rafters of the Alamodome in a horrifying pregame accident on Saturday night, Air Force officials have confirmed.

The victim has yet to be identified publicly. He was one of four service members repelling from the ceiling ahead of the Navy-University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) football game when he slipped down the rope and slammed into the turf at tremendous speed.

He was rushed to the hospital, where he was later died, according to a statement from Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs. The incident is under investigation.

News of the individual's death was first reported by Task and Purpose, an online publication that focuses on military affairs. The deceased Airman was assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, a unit that conducts advanced skills training for special warfare Airmen.

Clips filmed from multiple angles showed the Airman hitting the ground as thousands of onlookers were left stunned in San Antonio. Alamodome medics quickly rushed to the fallen Airman's aid.

He was carted off the field and rushed to a local hospital, according to initial reports from the San Antonio Express-News.

'Everybody was quiet, the band stopped performing. Everybody was dead silent,' witness Adrian Corey told KSAT.

Adrian's mother, Siomara, described the unsettling confusion after the accident.

'There was no updates after that other than asking for prayers, but it did not look good,' she told KSAT.

A similar stunt was performed without incident before a 2025 game at the Alamodome between Army and UTSA.

Despite the pre-game incident, officials proceeded with kickoff after a 10-minute delay. UTSA went on to beat Navy, 38-34, and afterwards many players took part in a group prayer for the injured Airman.

'I know we said a prayer postgame, but they'll continue being our thoughts and prayers, and really thinking about them,' Roadrunners quarterback Owen McCown told reporters.

The American Conference, which includes both Navy and UTSA, released a statement on Saturday before news of the Airman's death had been revealed.

'The American Conference is deeply saddened by tonight's pregame incident at the Alamodome,' read the statement. 'Our thoughts are with the individual involved, their family and colleagues, and everyone who witnessed or was affected by it.

'We consulted with representatives of both participating member institutions, Alamodome management, local authorities and a working group to review the information available,' the statement continued. 'We respect the family's privacy and will coordinate any further updates with the appropriate authorities. We are also working with our member institutions to help connect those affected with available support resources.'

In a similar statement to the Daily Mail, a UTSA spokesperson said: 'We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight's football game. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues.

'We recognize that members of our campus community may be emotionally affected by this incident and are activating wellbeing services to support our faculty, staff and students.'

The school has offered counselling services to students in need of assistance.

The viral X user known as Freddy was at the game and later shared a post about the incident before news of the Airman's death had been publicized.

'Another college game done,' the semi-anonymous social media influencer and minor World Cup celebrity wrote on X amid his prolonged tour of the United States. 'UTSA got the win against Navy! Thank you to all the nice people that we met today.

'Unfortunately,' he continued, 'there was a serious accident before the game, which is why I stopped updating on here. Our thoughts are with the service member and his family.'

After the game, UTSA coach Jeff Traylor described the situation he faced in the locker room as his anxious team looked to take the field.

'The only information I had was there had been an incident, and the game was going to be delayed, and we didn't expand upon it any further than that,' Traylor said, as quoted by the Express-News. 'I didn't know if I did the right thing or not. I didn't know anything. I didn't know what to tell them, so that's how I handled it.

'What I heard that happened is heartbreaking, but I want to give the family time,' Traylor added. 'They're in our prayers. It's tragic.'

The video is pretty bad.
There’s multiple on YouTube.

Looks like he didn’t have any control of the rope for breaking.

quote:

He was one of four service members repelling rappelling from the ceiling ...

FIFY, Alex.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

He was one of four service members repelling rappelling from the ceiling ...

FIFY, Alex.

So a service member dies in a demonstration and all you got out of it was a typo?
Alrighty then..

I'm going to guess whatever descending device he was using...wasn't set-up properly, which brings up the question was there a second person there to do a double-check as normal process?

An article I read said he accelerated after partial descending normally. Horrific.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
I'm going to guess whatever descending device he was using...wasn't set-up properly, which brings up the question was there a second person there to do a double-check as normal process?

Or was there someone "on belay"? I get that it's a demonstration and not training, but we always had someone on belay.

“The Air Force has identified the service member who died from injuries suffered when he fell more than 150 feet from the rafters of the Alamodome in a horrifying Saturday night pregame accident.

Tech Sergeant Ian Patterson, of the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment two, at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, was identified as the airman who tragically died, Nellis Air Force Base said.

Patterson abruptly plummeted during a fast-rope demonstration from the rafters of the Alamodome before UTSA’s game against Navy. 

He was treated on the field for around 10 minutes before being carted off and rushed to the hospital, where he later died, according to a statement from Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs. The incident is under investigation.  

News of the Patterson's death was first reported by Task and Purpose, an online publication that focuses on military affairs. The deceased Airman was assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, a unit that conducts advanced skills training for special warfare Airmen. 

A native of Fort Stewart, Georgia, Patterson had served honorably in the Air Force for 15 years, and was assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, a unit that conducts advanced skills training for special warfare Airmen.

Patterson was also named the Air Force Special Warfare Enlisted Instructor of the Year at the Headquarters Air Force level in 2022. …”

https://mol.im/a/16219809

Very tragic accident. I’m seeing a lot of “chair force” comments about this on X, not sure if they’re bots or actual people but it’s sad and inappropriate. Appreciate there’s none of that here; thank you for being classy SF.

quote:

So a service member dies in a demonstration and all you got out of it was a typo?

"Typo" would be leaving out one of the Ps or Ls. What's repelling is that this jerkoff couldn't be bothered to learn basic English when writing about a tragic subject.

quote:

Originally posted by AllenInAR:

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
I'm going to guess whatever descending device he was using...wasn't set-up properly, which brings up the question was there a second person there to do a double-check as normal process?

Or was there someone "on belay"? I get that it's a demonstration and not training, but we always had someone on belay.

Appears to be a self-belay. They're not using Grigris, figure-8's, ATCs or Sticht plates like in sport climbing.
Since these guys were trainers for USAF Special Tactics, I'm going to assume they were using mechanical descenders, you don't have a belayer for such. Basic descenders have a self-braking mechanism, rescue-types are designed to handle heavy loads and for lower feed speeds, my understanding there are 'assault-type' descenders where heavy loads and speed are factored into the design.

So this probably wasn't a Swiss seat/carabiner type deal then. Either way...tragic.

My dad was a vietnam era tank commander. All my life, at least 50 times, I heard him stop and yell around the house for some poor soldier had been hurt fast roping or rappelling. You would hear about these incidents, and it would just throw him into a rage. Who in the G-D F, needs to GD fastrope, what the F is the GD obsession with this nonsense. He had several (2-3) friends severely injured in fast roping accidents.

It seems like the soldier here was of the highest qualifications and still was killed.

It bothers me because it would bother him.

RIP solider and those of you in the business please be safe.

I don't think this was fast roping though, at least as I understand the term. Fast roping is basically sliding down a wiggly, hemp fireman pole from a helicopter's door.

Like poor Orlando Bloom in Black Hawk Down.

Skimming a few articles, I see they use both "fast-rope demonstration" and "rappelling" (or repelling, which like egregore, annoys me) to describe the activity at the game.

Rappelling from the rafters is done every year at the San Antonio SS&R on Military Appreciation Day. My friend is the Chair of the Military Committee there; I haven’t asked him if this tragic accident will alter that tradition.

Was this supposed to be part of a pregame show or military demonstration?

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Was this supposed to be part of a pregame show or military demonstration?

Yes... a pregame show military demonstration.

quote:

Originally posted by arabiancowboy:
Very tragic accident. I’m seeing a lot of “chair force” comments about this on X, not sure if they’re bots or actual people but it’s sad and inappropriate. Appreciate there’s none of that here; thank you for being classy SF.

If they are real people, they obviously have no idea about Air Force Special Operations, especially TACP, JTAC, CCT and Para's. Some of the toughest, most skilled people on the planet.

^I concur about Air Force Special Ops being the best of the best. I support warfighters with what I do and all of the other branches always compliment the Air Force guys.

Unless it was an equipment failure, it was due to a mistake, and people make mistakes. The ’net has many videos and accounts of extremely experienced and skilled climbers making fatal mistakes, and as with any dangerous activity, it is often the people who are most comfortable with an activity who make mistakes. In this incident was the man rushed, distracted, or affected by something else due to the specific circumstances? Or was it even his mistake? It could have been someone else’s.
For whatever reason, it was a tragedy.

Such capabilities are important military skills and we all owe it to honor those who develop and practice them on our behalf.