Officers were called just before 3 p.m. to the area of 127th Street and Ridge Road after reports that a paraglider had gone down in a field. Police said the pilot experienced an apparent in-flight emergency before the crash.

Witnesses who saw the aircraft come down rushed to help the man and stayed with him until Oswego paramedics arrived, police said. The paramedics attempted further lifesaving measures, but the paraglider died at the scene from his injuries.

Authorities have not released the man's name, citing the need to notify his family first.

The Plainfield Police Department and the Kendall County coroner's office are investigating the circumstances of the crash. No additional details about what caused the emergency or the type of equipment involved were immediately available.

Paragliding, which involves a lightweight, foot-launched canopy rather than a rigid frame, is a niche but growing activity in the Chicago region, with enthusiasts often flying from open fields and low hills. Fatal crashes are uncommon but can occur when pilots encounter sudden wind shifts, equipment failures or other emergencies close to the ground.

The death shook a rural corner of Kendall County where farmland meets fast-growing subdivisions, and where residents said they were rattled by the sight of emergency vehicles converging on the fields Saturday afternoon.

Anyone with information about the flight is asked to contact Plainfield police.