Pilotspatialdisorientationisaleadingfactorcontributingtomanyfatalflyingaccidents.Spatialorientationistheproductofintegrativeinputsfromtheproprioceptive,vestibular,andvisualsystems.Vestibularneuritis(VN)canleadtosuddenpilotincapacitationinflight.VNiscommonlydiagnosedbydemonstrationofunilateralvestibularfailure,asunilaterallossofcaloricresponse.Asthistestreflectsthefunctionofthesuperiorpartofthevestibularnerveonly,casesofpureinferiornerveneuritiswillbelost.ThispaperdescribesafighterpilotwithsymptomssuggestiveofVNbutwithnormalcalorictestresults.Furthertestshowedunilaterallossofvestibularevokedmyogenicpotential.Webelievethatthepilotsufferedfrompureinferiornervevestibularneuritis.VEMPplaysamajorroleinthediagnosisofinferiornervevestibularneuritisinpilots.Aeromedicalconcernsarealsodiscussed.
