The flight data recorder from the ill-fated Jeju Air plane that crashed at Muan International Airport has been sent to the United States for analysis.

The transport ministry’s investigation committee said two of its representatives departed for the U.S. on Monday along with the flight data recorder, which will undergo analysis by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

The damaged device is expected to help determine the cause of the accident, as it contains information such as the plane’s altitude just before the crash, as well as airframe operation data.

After concluding that the data could not be retrieved domestically because of damage to the device’s connector, the ministry said it consulted with the U.S. agency and arranged the analysis.