Balloon crew has to play prudent kind of 'Chicken'

The crewmen of the Super Chicken were forced by severe weather to leap from the balloon they hoped would take them on the first flight across the United States. The unmanned silver balloon landed later near Waynesburg, Pa. Trouble for the balloonists began Monday when storms overtook them about 70 miles east of Columbus. The balloon was traveling at about 23,000 feet. Heeding the Weather Service warning to abandon the trip, the crew attempted an emergency landing, but this failed because of a malfunction in the helium venting system.