Titanic
1912
The Titanic was the largest, most luxurious passenger ship ever built. It even claimed to be the safest ship, with people bragging that “God himself could not sink this ship!” The Titanic was designed with safety at its core, featuring innovative safety solutions, such as a double-plated bottom and sixteen watertight compartments with doors that would close should water enter.
But a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. For Titanic, it was the poor quality of the three million little rivets that held the ship together, which shattered upon impact with an iceberg. More than 1500 people perished as the ship sank to the bottom of the ocean.
Additional info:
University of Illinois - Mechanical Science & Engineering- Titanic Material Failure