Brainerd Man Dies Following Powered Paraglider Crash

A man died in a paragliding crash on Wednesday southwest of Brainerd.

According to a press release, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched the North Central Speedway property in Crow Wing Township around 6:30 that evening.

The pilot, 81-year-old Wayne Kyar of Brainerd, crashed his powered paraglider, also known as a paramotor, as he was coming in to land. According to a witness, Kyar’s machine seemed to have suffered a mechanical failure, and Kyar glided into a tree as he was losing altitude. He then fell from his machine from a height of approximately 50 feet.

Paramedics and first responders performed lifesaving measures on Kyar, but the injuries were fatal. The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified of the incident.