Moment US Air Force service member dies in horrific 150ft fall at college football game (Video)

A U.S. Air Force member has lost his life after falling from a great height during a training exercise that occurred before the start of a college football game.

Video recorded from the stands shows the service member descending on a rope from the rafters at the Alamodome before falling to the field on Saturday, October 17.

The service member was taken to a local hospital and later died, a Nellis Air Force Base spokesperson said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Nellis Air Force Base confirmed that the airman, who was reportedly assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, died from injuries sustained in what was described as a 170-foot fall while rappelling down to the field at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, prior to the start of the University of Texas at San Antonio and the Naval Academy college football game.

His decorations included the Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Army Commendation Medal, the Air and Space Achievement Medal and the Army Achievement Medal, each with one oak leaf cluster. In 2022, he was named Air Force Special Warfare Enlisted Instructor of the Year at the Headquarters Air Force level, the base said.

“Tech. Sgt. Patterson and his service mattered immensely to our wing, and to the family, friends, and teammates who had the privilege of knowing and serving alongside him,” Air Force Brig. Gen. Scott C. Mills, 57th Wing commander, said in a statement. “Our team is now focused on standing beside Ian’s family, loved ones, and fellow Airmen as we navigate this profound loss together.”

The incident is under investigation.

Watch the video below.

Moment US Air Force service member dies in horrific 150ft fall at college football game A U.S. Air Force member has lost his life after falling from a great height during a training exercise that occurred before the start of a college football game. https://t.co/UNMzRWBkx8

— The Naija Media (TNM) (@thenaijamedia) October 19, 2026