Air Force Airman Dies After Fall During Pregame Rappel at UTSA-Navy Game

A U.S. Air Force airman died after falling during a pregame rappelling demonstration at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Saturday night, Oct. 17, ahead of the UTSA-Navy football game.

A Nellis Air Force Base spokesperson said the service member was assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2. He was taken to a local hospital and died there. "The incident is under investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available," the spokesperson said.

The Air Force has not identified him.

What happened in the stadium

Four service members were scheduled to rappel from the rafters to the field as part of UTSA's annual Salute to Armed Forces & Veterans game. The stadium's technical manual puts the catwalks about 160 feet above the playing field.

A San Antonio Express-News reporter at the game described one airman sliding down the rope in "an uncontrolled manner" about halfway through the descent and hitting the ground hard. Video from the stands, verified by NBC News, shows the service member coming down the rope before falling to the field. He landed near midfield, in front of fans and a band assembled on the grass.

Medical personnel and UTSA staff reached him quickly. He was treated on the field for roughly 10 minutes, according to the Express-News account, then carried off. The San Antonio Fire Department told Task & Purpose it transported a person with a life-threatening injury to a hospital.

Nellis Air Force Base confirmed his death. The base's public affairs office issued its statement Sunday, Oct. 18.

The unit

The 6th Combat Training Squadron trains terminal air controllers, troops who direct strike aircraft from forward ground positions. According to an Air Force website, these specialists embed with Army and Marine units to call in air and artillery strikes.

Their training includes dropping quickly by rope, sometimes from helicopters 100 feet or more above the ground. A UTSA athletics spokesperson confirmed before the Air Force announced his death that the rappel team came from Detachment 2.

The American Conference, in its own statement, extended condolences to the airman's family and to members of the 57th Wing, "who had the privilege of serving with him."

The game went on

Kickoff was delayed after the fall. American commissioner Tim Pernetti met with UTSA and Navy officials, Alamodome management and local authorities to decide next steps. The conference said Nellis had not publicly confirmed the airman's condition at the time of those talks.

UTSA coach Jeff Traylor kept his team in the locker room during the delay. "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. "I didn't know if I did the right thing or not. I didn't know anything."

UTSA beat Navy 38-34. Traylor called the accident "heartbreaking" and "tragic," and said his players "could just tell the energy was gone" when they returned to the field. Quarterback Owen McCown said the team prayed after the game.

The university said it was "deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight's football game" and is activating wellbeing services for faculty, staff and students. UTSA president Taylor Eighmy said a day meant for "camaraderie, tradition and celebration" had been "marked by profound sadness." Lisa Campos, the vice president for intercollegiate athletics, said, "Moments like these remind us that we are all part of something much greater than a game."

Other pregame military demonstrations

Military skills demonstrations are a fixture at service-appreciation games. They also carry real risk when performed over a crowd.

On Jan. 2, 2026, a member of the All Veteran Group parachute team became tangled in field goal netting during a pregame performance at the Armed Forces Bowl between Texas State and Rice, according to Essentially Sports.

What is still open

The Air Force has not said what caused the fall. It has not said whether equipment, technique or setup played a role, or whether the demonstration had been rehearsed in the Alamodome. It has not named the airman.

The city of San Antonio, which owns the Alamodome, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday. The Air Force investigation is the next step, and Nellis has said more information will follow as it becomes available.