AAC says it played on to avoid 'additional distress' for airman's family

Patterson was a decorated 15-year tactical air control party instructor

The American Athletic Conference said it decided to continue with the University of Texas at San Antonio’s football game against Navy after an airman died in a pregame rappelling demonstration, saying it wanted to avoid creating “additional distress” for his family and to “mitigate speculation about [Patterson’s] medical status” while his condition remained unknown. The conference, to which the school’s football team belongs, said it guided itself out of respect for the family’s privacy and adherence to the US military’s process for notifying members’ next of kin of casualties.

The airman died after he fell from the rafters of the Alamodome during the rappelling demonstration before UTSA’s home game against Navy. The Air Force identified him as Tech Sgt Ian Patterson, of Fort Stewart, Georgia, and said he had served for 15 years. Patterson was a tactical air control party instructor assigned to the sixth combat training squadron, detachment two, at Joint Base San Antonio, according to a Sunday statement issued through Nevada’s Nellis air force base.

Patterson was among four military service members scheduled to participate in the pregame rappelling demonstration at UTSA’s annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans game against Navy. According to the air force, service members who take part in the demonstration are part of a team of specialists who embed with army and marine units and help direct air and artillery strikes from forward ground locations. Part of their training includes learning to rapidly drop by rope, sometimes from helicopters 100 feet (about 30 meters) or more above the ground. The air force said an investigation is under way into what led up to the fall.

A video of the fall posted on social media showed Patterson, in combat fatigues, quickly descending to the ground feet first. The fall occurred with fans in the stands and a band assembled nearby on the field. He was treated on the field for several minutes and taken away on a gurney. The game at the Alamodome in San Antonio was delayed for about 10 minutes, and UTSA went on to win 38-34.

In a statement after the game, UTSA offered counseling service contacts for students and said: “We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight’s game. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues.”

After the game, UTSA coach Jeff Traylor told reporters that the accident was “heartbreaking” and “tragic.” Traylor said the team could see the effect it had on the crowd of more than 23,000 people as soon as players arrived on the field, although he said he had only been told there had been an “incident” that would delay the start of the game. “You could tell the energy was just gone,” he said. “It just really puts things in perspective. It really does.”

According to the air force statement, Patterson was named the air force special warfare enlisted instructor of the year at the Headquarters Air Force level in 2022. The military said on Sunday that his other achievements included earning the air and space commendation medal with three oak leaf clusters, plus the army commendation medal, air and space achievement medal and army achievement medal, each with one oak leaf cluster.

“This tragedy is felt deeply,” said a statement attributed to US air force Brig Gen Scott C Mills, commander of the branch’s 57th wing. “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.”

“Our team is now focused on standing beside Ian’s family, loved ones, and fellow [air force members] as we navigate this profound loss together,” Mills said. “Our relationship with local community partners is incredibly important to our airmen, especially during difficult times like these,” he added, using a term the air force uses to refer to its members. “We are grateful to the San Antonio community and our mission partners at Joint Base San Antonio for the care, compassion and support they have shown.”

The Associated Press contributed reporting.