An Air Force service member died Saturday after falling during a rappelling demonstration before the University of Texas at San Antonio’s football game against the U.S. Naval Academy at the Alamodome in San Antonio, according to the supplied report. The airman’s identity had not been made public, and the incident was under military investigation.
The demonstration was part of UTSA’s annual Salute to Armed Forces & Veterans ceremony. Four officers were scheduled to rappel onto the field about 15 minutes before kickoff. The airman was assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, based at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
The report says the airman appeared to lose control while descending, slid down the rope and struck the field. Medical personnel treated him at the stadium before taking him by stretcher to a local hospital, where he later died. The circumstances of the fall have not been established in the supplied material; the military investigation is ongoing.
The personnel taking part in the demonstration were described as specialized tactical air controllers who work with Army and Marine ground units to direct air and artillery strikes. Their operational training regularly involves rapid rope insertions from heights of at least 100 feet, the report said. It did not provide further details about the airman’s specific role in the demonstration or the cause of the fall.
Kickoff was delayed by 10 minutes. UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor described the event as heartbreaking and tragic, saying the mood in the stadium changed immediately. He said the crowd’s energy had disappeared and that the incident put the game in perspective.
UTSA President Taylor Eighmy issued a statement expressing sympathy for the airman’s family, fellow airmen and squadron, as well as others affected by the death. Eighmy said the day had been planned as a celebration of camaraderie and tradition but was instead marked by sadness.
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones also expressed condolences in a social media post. She said she was saddened by the service member’s death and offered prayers for his family.
The supplied report did not identify the airman or provide a timeline for the investigation’s findings. It also did not describe any changes to future demonstrations or events at the Alamodome.
