Don't count on an FAA inspector to catch such a thing. The FAA inspector I had perform my Airworthiness Inspection told me on the phone a week prior to his arrival that he wanted the airplane in flight condition. That meant he wanted all inspection panels, fairings, cowling, etc. in place and secured for flight. I mentioned to him that on an RV, if one does that there will be little visible to inspect. He insisted that this was to be the condition he wanted the plane.
I did not feel comfortable at all in doing so. I knew full well that he would not be able to see much of any of the actual working components of the airplane in that condition. For a week I debated with myself on whether to abide by his wishes or to leave the plane open for inspection. I ended up removing the cowl, all intersection fairings, wing inspection plates and the rear baggage bulkhead prior to his arrival. When he arrived he was vocally upset that I had not made the airplane 'ready for flight'. He was very openly upset during the entire 'inspection' that I had not followed his direction. Even though the airplane was pretty open to inspection in this state, he only cursorily looked at the plane's components.
All this to say that the quality of any inspection is really only as thorough as the person, and his skill, knowledge and experience chooses to be. Names, titles, certificates, licenses, pats on the backs, notes from mom or any other accolade does nothing to ensure any given person will appropriately inspect our airplanes. The truth is, none of that matters as much as what Paul states. . . a second, third, fourth, fifth set of eyes on things. Even my wife, who has no mechanical interests, has been a great set of eyes for me. I have had teenage kids, EAA chapter members, wives of friends, anyone I can persuade to do so, look over my airplane. I tell everyone to not be afraid of pointing anything they find out to me. I honor and respect everyone's comments when inspecting my plane. And I have continued to invite anyone and everyone to look over my plane and my work whenever they are around. It is a continual ongoing process that did not stop once the plane was built.
I think I am no different than anyone else on the planet. I have an ego just like the next guy. I do, however, recognize what that ego is doing TO ME! Our egos are not at all interested in keeping us alive. They are only interested in presenting us to the world in a favorable light. That is not necessarily the best attitude to have when one's life is dependent upon being willing to acknowledge a problem and further, being able to admit that we may have been the one who created the problem.
Slap that ego up 'side the head and get some more eyes inspecting! It may be our own lives those other eyes may be saving!