Medium large transport first officer was medically incapacitated during a cruise climb.

Attributes
ACN	421277
Time
Date	199811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	421277
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Mild ear pain at FL250, excruciating at FL350. No prior pain/congestion. Out of nowhere, rapid onset of pressure/pain. Left flight deck to obtain aspirin/pain reliever. After looking up from the cockpit door knob to verify it was closed and locked, I became dizzy (side-to- side and tumbling), lost balance and fell to the floor. Was dizzy, off balance off and on for remainder of flight. Captain diverted to cvg (was en route to day). Went to hospital emergency room and was diagnosed with acute inner ear infection. Prior to this event, I had no pressure, pain, or any indication at all of any problem physically.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FO WAS MEDICALLY INCAPACITATED DURING A CRUISE CLB.

Narrative: MILD EAR PAIN AT FL250, EXCRUCIATING AT FL350. NO PRIOR PAIN/CONGESTION. OUT OF NOWHERE, RAPID ONSET OF PRESSURE/PAIN. LEFT FLT DECK TO OBTAIN ASPIRIN/PAIN RELIEVER. AFTER LOOKING UP FROM THE COCKPIT DOOR KNOB TO VERIFY IT WAS CLOSED AND LOCKED, I BECAME DIZZY (SIDE-TO- SIDE AND TUMBLING), LOST BAL AND FELL TO THE FLOOR. WAS DIZZY, OFF BAL OFF AND ON FOR REMAINDER OF FLT. CAPT DIVERTED TO CVG (WAS ENRTE TO DAY). WENT TO HOSPITAL EMER ROOM AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ACUTE INNER EAR INFECTION. PRIOR TO THIS EVENT, I HAD NO PRESSURE, PAIN, OR ANY INDICATION AT ALL OF ANY PROB PHYSICALLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.