Hmmmm....
1) Back in 85-86, my first T2k campaign ever. New player, new character, first firefight. He's riding in the group's fuel-carrying truck, it's hit and catches fire. I figure an easy AGL check to bail out, or take damage. I think he tanked the roll, and the character died. He never played with us again.
2) approximately 1988, college now: new player, new character, first firefight, first shot by the enemy: {roll randomly} at the new guy, [roll] head shot, [roll] dead. Ooops. Similarities to the above noted. He played with us again, but I'm not sure that campaign lasted much longer.
3) Back in that first campaign, during Pirates of the Vistula: the boat & barge are moving by night, not seeing one of the heavily-armed groups on shore. The bad guys open with a mortar that just misses the tug. [roll] that lands just a few meters off the side, near where one of the PCs is sleeping. Ha, ha, guess Capt. Tackleberry got splashed awake. Next round, Capt. T. is awake, and pulls up his sniper rifle. [roll] he IDs the mortar team. [roll, roll, roll] he gets 3 hits! [roll, roll, roll] 2 of them are fatal head shots.
"OK, no one wake up the captain by dousing him with water!!!!!"