The pilot of an aircraft with two passengers that disappeared on a flight between Molokai and Honolulu had a private pilot’s license but was not certified to fly by navigational instruments in poor visibility.

Michael D. Childers was certified to fly by visual flight rules. He had received his pilot license on Oct. 30, in hopes of eventually becoming a commercial pilot.

The airplane with Childers, Whitney Thomas and John Mizuno left Molokai at 6:47 p.m. Friday.

The Coast Guard launched an air and sea search for the single-engine airplane at 7 p.m., after it disappeared from radar in waters near Ilio Point.

Coast Guard spokesperson Petty Officer 2nd Class Tara Molle said there was very little visibility when the Coast Guard helicopter and Coast Guard airplane arrived to conduct the search that night and a decision was made to return to base on Oahu.

“I was told … their visibility was incredibly hampered by the weather,” she said. The Coast Guard cutter Kittiwake remained in the waters to continue the search through Sunday.

The distance between Oahu and Molokai is only 22 miles, but weather can change quickly.

Experienced pilots usually fly by navigational instruments at night in the Hawaiian Islands.