The Solo Spirit was the last of three long-distance balloon teams that tried and failed this month to become the first to circle the world nonstop.

But even without that delay, the balloon, called the Solo Spirit, evidently could not have achieved its goal.

The Solo Spirit sank into a Russian wheatfield today after its pilot abandoned his quest to become the first to ride a balloon around the world nonstop.

Mr. Fossett's Solo Spirit, which he is piloting without any supporting crew on board, is the third balloon in a week to start the dangerous effort.

The Solo Spirit, like most long-distance balloons, gets its lift from helium gas and hot air.

It was apparent that any future effort by Mr. Fossett would require substantially more propane than the 3,320 pounds with which the Solo Spirit started out.

Mr. Fossett's Solo Spirit is equipped with a special automatic pilot, a feature that makes long-duration solo flight possible.

The Solo Spirit is not equipped with a cellular telephone, but Mr. Fossett radios his position, course, altitude, speed and general condition every hour.

Mr. Fossett's Solo Spirit ended its record-breaking flight short of its goal for much more serious engineering reasons.

The first to start was Steve Fossett in his balloon Solo Spirit.