Overview
- Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson fell during a planned 170‑foot rappelling descent before a UTSA–Navy game and later died after being treated on the field, in front of roughly 23,000 spectators on Saturday.
- The Air Force has opened an active investigation and venue and military partners are reviewing how operational rappel procedures were adapted for the stadium setting.
- Multiple fundraisers, including a GoFundMe organized by Patterson’s brother‑in‑law and an appeal by the TACP Foundation, have raised more than $100,000 to support his wife and two young sons.
- Widely shared video of the fall appears to show Patterson attached to ropes but descending unchecked, a detail investigators say they will review as part of the probe.
- Rappelling demonstrations are common outreach by highly trained units and follow Army‑based guidance that calls for roles such as a Rappel Master, a Safety Officer, and a lane supervisor, and those procedural rules will be central to reviews going forward.