After reading Hans? Article on SMPS Fail for Voltage jump, and seeing his findings about D108 failing all the time, I might have been victim of that effect, too:
/g/QRPLabs/message/106566I increased Voltage on my Lab Power Supply before from 9-12V. Not in a sudden jump, but slowely while monitoring.
But the effect was the same: D108 died and pulled 5V Line down to GND, protecting the rest of the circuit....
73 Manuel; DL2MAN