Just some thought for your question, these rules work for me and have helped my so far, always willing to learn from others thoughts.
Visit this site and among all the names there are 9 of my friends lost in Iraq and 7 others lost over the years I have been in aviation (1980). Also,6 Air Force friends and 34 others from my base lost in KC-135 accident not listed on this site.
http://armyaircrews.com/
For 2 the feeling after finding out they were killed was "I knew that would happen" and the only thing that got me by was I had brought up to them my concern about their "aggressive" flying. In one case I knew after the fact it was not enough to change their invincibility, it cost him his passengers lives (wife and copilots wife).
The others were weather related, mechanical and pilot error, and enemy fire.
Seeing the greiving families and friends, legal issues afterwards and some rules for me:
1. Do what is right even when no one is around. Lesson learned in 1982.
2. Your only as good as your last flight.
3. Tell the ones you care about how you feel towards them, never leave mad/angry. It may be the last thing they remember. Lesson learned from greiving teenager.
4. Make sure your will/personal stuff is in order, its not for you but does make things smoother for them.
5. Always preflight: free insurance plan. Lessons taught by friends mistakes.
6. If it bothers you that much get out of aviation. You mind needs to be in the cockpit not what-ifing. There was an EMS fixed wing accident last year, not my program but 2 staff members quit after hearing about it. Wait for the final report, Monday quarter-backing does not answer the WHY questions.
7. Improve your position: do things that will eliminate the "I wish I had done that" before flying. Am I ahead of the aircraft.
8 Rule of 3 or gut feeling, listen to my gut about the situtation and the Rule of 3, 3 things going bad not necessarliy related is not a good thing rethink what your doing.
9. My skills and the aircraft capibilities may never match in a given situtation. Avoid exceeding either/both.
10. No one is shooting at me so I do not have to fly, there is someone waiting at home for me. Make the right decision about the flight, never say I will go take a look and launch.
10. (Motivational) Dont become a thread on JustHelicopters .
Not sure if this answers your question?