 In 1978, Downeast purchased a de Havilland Canada DHC-6-200 Twin Otter (N68DE) STOL capable turboprop from Air Illinois.Up until that time, Downeast had only operated Piper Aztec and Piper Navajo light twins and one Cessna 182 single engine.On May 30, 1979, Downeast Airlines Flight 46 that originated in Boston crashed into a heavily wooded area about 1.2 miles south-southwest of the Knox county Regional Airport in Rockland.