An Air Force airman tragically lost his life Saturday night during a rappelling demonstration just before the football game between UTSA and Navy in San Antonio.
Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada confirmed that the airman was part of the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, and he succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital after the incident at the Alamodome. The base has not released his name and stated that an investigation is underway.
The airman was among four military personnel set to descend from the stadium rafters about 15 minutes before kickoff, marking the university’s annual Salute to Armed Forces & Veterans event. During the descent, he appeared to lose his grip, slid down the rope, and fell onto the field, hitting the ground around midfield from a height of approximately 170 feet.
Medical teams worked on him for nearly ten minutes before transporting him as a Priority 1 patient, as reported by Daily Voice. KSAT mentioned that he was taken out on a golf cart by staff who gathered around him on the field. Unfortunately, later reports confirmed he did not survive.
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. (1/2)
— UT San Antonio (@UTSA) October 18, 2026
Fans were left in stunned silence, witnessing the tragic fall. “Once the band started playing, there was a guy that fell down and started coming down fast,” said witness Adrian Corey. “Everybody was quiet; the band stopped, and it was dead silent.”
Another witness, Siomara Corey, added, “It was a very sad moment, and we don’t know his condition. There were no updates after that, just requests for prayers, which didn’t seem hopeful.”
In response to the incident, UTSA expressed their condolences, stating they were profoundly saddened by what happened at the beginning of the game. The university has since activated crisis and counseling services for those affected by the event, according to KSAT. Head coach Jeff Traylor described the scene as “heartbreaking” and “tragic,” as reported by ESPN.
The kickoff was delayed by ten minutes, but they proceeded with the game, which UTSA ultimately won 38-34, as noted by Daily Voice.
The 6th Combat Training Squadron trains service members to become Tactical Air Control Party airmen, specialized terminal air controllers who work alongside ground forces to coordinate airstrikes. At this time, the exact cause of the fall is still unclear.
