Revealing mistake: When the crew at Prometheus are viewing the tape of Hulk destroying the helicopter, it is obvious the tape is just stock footage from the scene earlier when the Hulk actually does destroy the helicopter. The camera angles used are exactly the same, and they are also angles the other crew wouldn't be able to film from.
Revealing mistake: David and Del Fry are fighting after David gives Del Fry the shot. When showing the back of Del Fry, his hair is black not gray, revealing that it's a stuntman.
Answer: An illness, although it's never stated what kind of illness. David blames his dad for her death because his father never took her to the hospital. So in all likelihood, her illness was never diagnosed anyways and David might not even have known what it was.
Bishop73