BENAVIDES, Texas -- Investigators say the pilot of a Florida-bound plane that crashed last month in South Texas had three weather briefings before takeoff.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board indicates the pilot expressed concerns about storms on his route from Uvalde to Leesburg, Fla.

The Oct. 26 crash near Benavides (ben-uh-VEE'-des) during rough weather killed all four men on board. The victims were the pilot, Paul Mazak II, and Malcolm Lavender, Richard "Rick" Schippers and Shane Schippers.

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports the pilot of the twin-engine turboprop sought help minutes after takeoff as he looked at his radar, seeking to divert to Laredo.

The NTSB says about 20 minutes later the pilot reported turbulence and a loss in altitude, then the plane crashed.

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