During the prototype phase:
"June 2019: OceanGate pilot visually identified a large crack on the internal surface of the carbon fiber hull."
"October 2019: TITAN tested at Deep Ocean Test Facility. Hull showed signs of fatigue, hull derated to 3000M."
On the first expedition:
"Conducted 1 test dive (dive #63) to depth on TITANIC (3,840M) before carrying paying passengers/ “mission specialists"
• 70 equipment issues requiring correction including:
• forward dome fell off during recovery,
• multiple drop weight issues to include the tray being jettisoned due to malfunction,
• drop weight and thruster failure at 3,500M, and
• platform damaged on recovery."
On the last expedition:
"Mission #2 (May 20 – May 28)
• POLAR PRINCE departed St. Johns on May 20th enroute TITANIC with TITAN in tow at an average speed of 7.4 knots (8.4 mph). May 22nd, conducted unmanned dive to 8 meters (Dive 84). On May 24th, after a night of high seas and fog, the TITAN and its platform were found partially sunk in the morning with the tail cone fairing ripped off. May 27th conducted post incident test dive, recorded 13 equipment issued requiring correction."
And maybe the worst, on the penultimate mission before its total constructive loss:
"On June 12th, while conducting Dive# 87, TITAN experienced a variable ballast tank issue, upon resurfacing, an error caused platform to become inverted to ~45 degrees with the bow of the TITAN up, slamming all 5 persons to the aft of the submersible. The TITAN became partially disconnected to the LARS and with the approximate 6 foot [seas?], slammed the submersible and the occupants for ~1 hour until the platform was corrected."
Spending an hour being slammed around in an oversized washing machine really should have given someone time to consider whether maybe their reach was exceeding their grasp. Unbelievable hubris.