The NTSB has issued a warning that full stop rudder movements like those recorded on Flight 587 could threaten any airliner under the right conditions.

"NTSB officials stressed that problems from successive rudder inputs is a threat on all transport aircraft, not just Airbus A300-600s. On some planes, full rudder deflection is possible with what the officials describe as "very light" rudder inputs by pilots. The A300-600 is one of these models, as is the Boeing 737, they said."

and

"FDRs don't typically measure force inputs on control mechanism like rudder pedals, so it's impossible to rely on FDR data to tell, for example, how much -- or even if -- pilots use the rudders during specific incidents.

One key unanswered question in the Flight 587 probe is whether the pilots commanded the rapid succession of rudder movements just prior to the upset, or if some other factor -- such as a mechanical failure -- was moving the rudder. "

The linked article also has a link to a more detailed report by the NTSB. While no definitive cause for the crash has been isolated, it seems likely that the vertical stabilizer was overstressed causing the failure.

"Preliminary calculations by Safety Board and Airbus engineers show that large sideloads were likely present on the vertical stabilizer and rudder at the time they separated from the airplane. Calculations and simulations show that, at the time of the separation, the airplane was in an 8 to 10 degree nose-left sideslip while the rudder was deflected 9.5 degrees to the right. Airbus engineers have determined that this combination of local nose-left sideslip on the vertical stabilizer and right rudder deflection produced air loads on the vertical stabilizer that could exceed the airplane's design loads. The Board notes that, at the time the vertical stabilizer and rudder separated from the plane, the airplane was flying at 255 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS), which is significantly below the airplane's design maneuvering speed of 273 KIAS."