How about logging entry and exit points for each plug in that runs? Then it should be pretty easy to identify which plugin is crashing. Sure, it won't work all the time, but it'll work much of the time.
This would be SO much easier than taking ages to manually debug by safe mode, trouble shooting, disabling each plugin one at a time. That's no fun, even for IT pros. Think what it's like for regular users!
What am I missing here? This sounds like a very simple fix, which would offer HUGE wins for little work.
How does that sound?
Ed