Yes, I lost a friend and his family that way. He was a skilled pilot and got in a plane that was new to him without getting adequate training to the new plane. The stall speed was much higher and he dropped.
Somatogravic illusions can cause problems even for experienced pilots.
Last year a client and friend of mine hit an eagle with his right wing at over 2,000 ft. He managed to land, but it destroyed the wing causing over $200K damage. The eagle was ripped to pieces and still hanging in the dented wing when he landed.
Sorry to hear. Far too many general aviation tragedies. Follow Scott Perdue and Dan Gryder youtube crash analyses to get the idea. Flying is not to be dabbled in. You are either all in or forget about it...if you value yours and the lives of others. Get a different hobby. It’s amazing how many crashes are weather related and/or plain old “pilot error”.