The service member fell during a military rappelling demonstration at the Alamodome before Saturday night’s UTSA-Navy football game.
SAN ANTONIO — An Air Force service member died after falling while rappelling from the Alamodome rafters before the University of Texas at San Antonio’s football game against Navy on Saturday night, military officials said Sunday.
The service member was assigned to Detachment 2 of the 6th Combat Training Squadron and was taken to a San Antonio-area hospital after the fall, according to Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs. The service member later died from the injuries. The person’s identity had not been publicly released Sunday, and the Air Force said an investigation was underway to determine what led to the accident. Officials have not announced a preliminary cause.
The incident happened shortly before the scheduled 7 p.m. kickoff Oct. 17 during UTSA’s annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans game. Four military service members were scheduled to take part in a rappelling demonstration from high inside the Alamodome. During the demonstration, one member descended rapidly and struck the field. Emergency personnel immediately responded while thousands of spectators watched from the stands.
The San Antonio Fire Department initially confirmed that a person had been hospitalized after falling while rappelling at the stadium. Witnesses told local media that the band stopped performing as emergency crews treated the service member on the field. Medical personnel worked at the scene for several minutes before the service member was placed on a stretcher and taken from the stadium. The game was delayed by about 10 minutes.
The demonstration team was associated with Detachment 2 of the Air Force’s 6th Combat Training Squadron. The unit trains personnel for specialized battlefield duties that can include operating alongside Army and Marine units and coordinating air support from forward positions. Training for such missions can involve rappelling and fast-rope techniques. Officials have not said whether equipment, technique or another factor contributed to Saturday’s fatal fall.
UTSA issued a statement after the incident saying the university was deeply saddened and expressing support for the service member, the person’s family and military colleagues. The university also made counseling and support resources available to members of its community affected by what they witnessed. The fall occurred during a game designed specifically to recognize members of the military and veterans. :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”6″}
The incident cast a somber mood over the Alamodome, where an announced crowd of 23,297 had gathered for the first football meeting between UTSA and Navy. UTSA coach Jeff Traylor said afterward that the situation put the game in perspective. Players were not initially given full details about what had occurred, but Traylor said the change in the stadium’s atmosphere was noticeable when the team took the field.
UTSA and Navy proceeded with the game after the delay. The Roadrunners defeated the Midshipmen 38-34 in a close contest that included several fourth-quarter lead changes. Players and coaches later focused much of their postgame reaction on the injured service member rather than the result. Confirmation Sunday that the service member had died turned the pregame accident into a fatal military training-related incident under investigation.
The Air Force had not released the service member’s name as of Sunday morning. Officials also had not provided findings about the rappelling system, safety equipment or sequence of events that caused the rapid descent. Video recorded inside the stadium circulated widely online, but officials had not publicly announced conclusions based on that footage.
The Air Force investigation remained active Sunday. Authorities said additional information would be released as appropriate, while the service member’s identity remained withheld pending official notification procedures and further coordination with the family.
Author note: Last updated October 18, 2026.