Air Force suspends rappelling events for special ops training unit after fatal fall

An Air Force unit that trains special operations airmen suspended rappelling and ropes training after an instructor in the squadron died during a demonstration at a college football game in San Antonio, Texas, officials confirmed to Task & Purpose.

Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson, a 15-year Air Force veteran and instructor at the 6th Combat Training Squadron, fell during a rappelling demonstration before the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Oct. 17 football game against Navy at the Alamodome. Patterson fell from the stadium’s 160-foot-high rafters onto the playing field. He was transported to a hospital, where he later died.

“Tech Sgt Patterson’s squadron, 6th Combat Training Squadron, has paused all rappel and ropes training events and demonstrations until further notice,” the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center Public Affairs office said in an emailed statement.

Patterson was assigned to the 6th CTS’ Detachment 2, at Joint Base San Antonio. The detachment selects and trains candidates for the service’s tactical air control party, or TACP, roles, one of four Air Force special warfare jobs. Students are taught the basics of rappelling, which is a core skill for TACPs.

The Air Force did not specify when the training suspension began, who ordered it or what conditions must be met before training resumes. Officials also did not say whether the suspension extends to other units.

The circumstances surrounding Patterson’s fall remain under investigation. Nellis Air Force Base officials previously said they would not discuss operational details or potential causes while the investigation is ongoing.

Rappelling is a common portion of military training to move personnel down steep terrain, structures and other elevated positions using ropes and specialized equipment. Demonstrations of those skills are also conducted at public events.

According to a GoFundMe organized by his brother-in-law, Mitch Blunn, Patterson is survived by his wife, Niki, and their two young sons, who the Pattersons homeschooled.

“Our hearts are broken for Niki and her two young boys following the tragic loss of Ian, a beloved husband and father whose life was taken far too soon,” Blunn wrote. The fundraiser will help the family relocate closer to relatives, cover potential legal expenses and navigate the financial consequences of Patterson’s death.

The suspension follows Patterson’s death during one such public demonstration, though the Air Force has not explicitly stated whether the fatal fall prompted the decision.

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