Falling damage seems to have become much more strict since at least 1.3.2. The patch notes don't seem to indicate any increased penalty for fall damage or the heights that should be causing it.
Comparisons for 1.2.5, 1.3.2, 1.4.2:
1.2.5: Seemingly normal fall damage behavior
http://youtu.be/YtuHU10hRu0
1.3.2: More random fall damage, specifically with 3 block falls which aren't supposed to deal fall damage. Damage seems to occur from the fall about as often as it doesn't.
http://youtu.be/D4MJVD5PG-U
1.4.2: Consistant damage from 3 block falls.
http://youtu.be/XkGY404Rt9U
Related issues
Comments


Try on an SMP server instead of SSP.

Still cannot replicate in SMP, SSP or LAN, including in Adventure mode.
I can't seem to replicate this. I'm not getting damage from a 3 block fall, and I am getting half a heart damage from 4 blocks, which is intended.