The cause of ruin
casualty, accident, mishap, misadventure, misstep, faux pas (French), bad hap, catastrophe, mischance, bad luck, adversity, reverse, blow, trial, affliction, visitation, stroke of fate, slip, blunder, fault, omission, difficulty, failure, error, miscalculation, trip, stumble, fumble, blunder, repulse, discouragement, death-blow, last straw, death knell.
Antonyms advantage*, good omen, godsend.