bricked ESP8266 ? any command errors with "Failed to write to target RAM (result was 0107)"

tried to flash Espruino on a ESP8266 (NodeMCU, doit.am version) and got:

Chip is ESP8266EX
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A fatal error occurred: Failed to write to target RAM (result was 0107)

• esptool v2.2-dev
  
• tested with 5V, 3.3V (from breadboard power supply mb102) and USB power (from laptop)
  
• fails on any esptool command (erase_flash, write_flash, chip_id, ...)
  
• correct data cable (some power only cables made me loose some time)
  
• same problem on lower baudrates (eg 9600)
  
  

bootloader terminal ( 74880,8,N,1 ):

ets_main.c
 ets Jan  8 2013,rst cause:2, boot mode:(3,7)