clarification
Just in case it isn't clear, I have no idea what caused this accident, other than ideas stimulated by this discussion. I am completely unqualified to have an opinion, still less a "theory"!
But I'd be interested in hearing someone explain cavitation in this context.
BTW I just spoke to a former colleague who was present at the same event I described and his recollection is that we had repeated reduction in pressure just before we lost it entirely each time this cavitation occurred.
I take the point that there has been a statement that the fuel flow was not impacted in this case. Can someone suitably qualified explain if a cavitating pump can sucessfully deliver at the correct rate. This doesn't imply that I think it can't!