From hazy memory the loss of the horizontal stab by a 707 over Mt Fuji back in the 60's caused Boeing to check all the horizontal stabs on the 707 fleets at the time. 6 aircraft had undetected cracks that would have led to structural failure and since it's the horizontal stab parting company I'd assume the failure would always be catastrophic.
For all the rhetoric on this thread, both manufacturers, in spite of test and development programs, have learnt lessons the hard way.
But can we bash the Brits (who invented aviation as apparently KittyHawk was in Surrey) since they build the wings and deliver them new with cracks?