Charles Armitage Jr., president of the Vandergrift-based Uncle Charley's Sausage, was one of three people aboard a single-engine plane that went missing Sunday while en route from Virginia to Johnstown.

Mr. Armitage's father, Charles Armitage Sr., identified him as one of the people who was on the plane when it lost contact with air controllers about 11 miles from the Grant County Airport in Petersburg, W.Va.

Also thought to be on board was Laura Stettmier, co-owner of the Addison House Restaurant and Lounge in Leechburg. A person who answered the phone at the restaurant said the restaurant's other owner planned to leave town Monday night to aid in the search.

Officials involved in the search have not released the identity of the third person.

The plane, a Piper PA32 built in 1977, is registered to a Leechburg-based company called Wings R Us Inc. State records show that the company belongs to Michael F. Garrone, whose address is the same as the one listed for Wings R Us. He could not be reached for comment.

The elder Mr. Armitage declined to give further details.

The plane left Danville, Va., and was scheduled to land Sunday night in Johnstown. When weather conditions deteriorated, the pilot asked to return to Danville, said Jim Peters, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. Controllers lost contact with the pilot as he was flying over West Virginia.

Jimmy Gianato, director of the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, told The Associated Press the pilot indicated he intended to land at Petersburg but never arrived.

Responders in Hardy County first searched Sunday night, but then got a call with coordinates indicating the plane was not in their county, said Tammy Gilhuys, deputy director of emergency management.

On Monday, the search resumed with help from the West Virginia and Virginia civil air patrols, West Virginia state police and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, among others, said Angela Pope, a spokeswoman for the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

The teams were sent back out Monday morning with new coordinates near the rural community of Brake, where it rained for parts of the day, Ms. Gilhuys said. They'd found nothing as of Monday night.

An emergency dispatcher in Hardy County said rescuers planned to resume their search today.