Getting back on the saddle after a recent local (fatal) crash

I've done a lot of flying in the Bay Area out of Gnoss, OAK, HWD, Palo Alto, Sausalito (seaplane) and San Carlos (seaplane) along with a lot of cross country flying Oregon, Nevada Arizona , Texas - Much of the cross country night IFR. By a margin of 2:1 the most common system to fail is the pilot. Thus, proficiency and judgement is twice as important as EVERYTHING else. Because I did a lot of overwater/coastline flights there were lifejackets in very accessible spots. However, as a sailor and diver I understand the offshore survival issues. I was fortunate to have done training a half century ago when we routinely did power off landings from a considerable distance. Sailplane experience including some off field landings was also great experience. In recent decades home was a small town on California's central coast. Lots of Monday mornings were a low IFR departure from an uncontrolled airport in a valley. I took the time both flying and driving to identify potential emergency landing spots to accommodate a major problem right after takeoff. The closest was a farmer's field just off the departure end. Others were roads where the powerlines had been carefully identified. The payoff came on a Monday departing into about 300/1 at first light . As the gear came up the was the sound of silence. Airspeed, 15 degree turn, land. BuT FUXX, in the middle of the field there's a crashed twin but a very slim space. The engine caught - the mechanic had not properly tightened the turbo outlet hose and it took a few seconds for the fuel injection to adjust to the loss of MP. The crashed twin was the mechanic's personal airplane. New mechanic found. Apologies for the length. I would look carefully in the areas where you fly, perhaps get some soaring time. Flying VFR in the Bay Area I would rate traffic a far higher risk than engine failure.