An Air Force service member has died after falling while rappelling from the rafters of the Alamodome in San Antonio before UTSA's game against Navy on Saturday night, the Air Force said.
He has not been named. The Air Force says the fall is under investigation.
What happened
The descent was part of the pregame ceremony for UTSA's annual Salute to Armed Forces & Veterans game. Four service members were set to rappel from the dome's rafters to the field about 15 minutes before kickoff, ABC13 reported. According to the game commentator, they were coming down to present the colors.
All four were from the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, according to Nellis Air Force Base and UTSA. The squadron is based at Nellis in Nevada. The detachment works out of Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis.
One of the four began his descent from above the stadium's hanging video board. About halfway down, he slid down the rope "in an uncontrolled manner" and hit the turf, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Video shows the crowd reacting audibly when he landed.
Medical staff reached him immediately and carried him off on a stretcher. The San Antonio Fire Department took him to a hospital as a priority-one patient with life-threatening injuries. He died there.
Officials have not said how far he fell. The New York Post put the ceiling at about 170 feet; that has not been confirmed.
What the Air Force says
A spokesperson for Nellis Air Force Base confirmed he died "from injuries sustained in a fall" before the game.
"The incident is under investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available."
The Air Force has not said what went wrong, whether equipment was involved, or whether he was an officer or enlisted. Reports have described him both ways.
The game went on
Kickoff was delayed about 10 minutes. The American Conference said it consulted both teams, Alamodome management, local authorities and a working group before letting the game go ahead.
"The American Conference is deeply saddened by tonight's pregame incident at the Alamodome," it said.
UTSA won 38-34, moving to 6-1 and 3-0 in conference play. Navy fell to 2-4.
"I've never had to deal with anything like that before," UTSA coach Jeff Traylor said afterward. "It just puts things in perspective."
UTSA said its "heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues," and that it had activated well-being services for students, faculty and staff who saw it.
What to watch
His name. The military usually releases it once his family has been notified.
The investigation. Whether the cause was equipment, rigging, technique or something else, and whether military demonstrations at stadiums change as a result.
Pregame demonstrations. Military rappelling entries have been staged at the Alamodome before, including by Army units. Whether this one changes how they are run is a question for after the investigation.
This is a developing story, published Sunday, October 18, 2026. The service member has not been identified. The account of the fall comes from the San Antonio Express-News, ABC13 and video of the descent; the Air Force has not described it. The height of the fall has not been confirmed by officials.
