Local News
By Jacob Halbesma, Local and National Editor
On Oct. 17, 2026, a U.S. Air Force service member passed away after falling approximately 150 feet during a pre-game military appreciation rappelling accident at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) football game against Navy at the Alamodome.
Representatives from the Nellis Air Force Base confirmed that the fallen airman was U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson. He belonged to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2. The unit trains tactical air controllers, which includes routine training for high-altitude rappelling.
During UTSA’s “Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans” night, officers were celebrated for their service in the U.S. military and current soldiers were invited to participate in a rappelling event before kickoff on Saturday night. Patterson fell from above the field quickly after beginning to rappel, with the mechanics failing higher than the hanging scoreboard.
Patterson received medical attention shortly after landing, eventually being stretched off the field and driven to a San Antonio hospital with life-threatening injuries, later succumbing to these injuries during the night.
Patterson was from Fort Stewart, Georgia, and had served in the U.S. military for 15 years. He held multiple awards and distinctions during his tenure, including being named the 2022 Air Force Special Warfare Enlisted Instructor of the Year at the Headquarters Air Force level.
After the man was driven off the field with critical injuries, the game kicked off shortly after a slight delay. The UTSA Roadrunners ended up beating Navy 38-34, but not without a melancholic feeling hanging over the stadium.
In a statement released on Saturday, the American Athletic Conference said that it immediately consulted with both universities, management staff at the Alamodome and local authorities to review the incident.
UTSA also released a statement following the accident saying they were “deeply saddened by the incident,” and did not offer any update on the condition of the officer. The university offered their thoughts and prayers to family, fans and military colleagues, recognizing 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 somber crowd of more than 23,000 people at the Alamodome affected the game from the coach and player’s perspective. “There was something – you could just tell the energy was gone,” UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor said after the game. “I’ve never had to deal with anything like that before. It just puts things in perspective,” Traylor said.
Similar demonstrations involving ROTC or current service members have been done at many sports events, including Xavier men’s basketball games. Most recently, Xavier put an event for the Military Appreciation game at Cintas Center on Feb. 14, 2026.
In the wake of the tragedy, many schools and entertainment organizations may reconsider similar stunts being done pre-game. Extra precautions, safety checks and testing will be needed to ensure that similar accidents do not occur again.
