NTSB confirms Tesla driver pressed accelerator 100% before fatal Texas crash
The National Transportation Safety Board said the driver of a Tesla involved in a June crash pressed the accelerator pedal fully, overriding the Full Self-Driving system.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday that the driver of a Tesla who crashed into a house in June had pressed the accelerator pedal to 100%, overriding the company's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software. Data recovered from the Tesla showed the vehicle was traveling more than 70 miles per hour when it struck a house in Katy, Texas, killing 76-year-old resident Martha Avila, according to the NTSB. The victim's family has since sued the alleged driver, 44-year-old Michael Butler, and Tesla, claiming negligence. Butler has also been charged with manslaughter.
The safety board shared the information as part of a preliminary report on the progress of its investigation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also probing the incident. The data confirms Tesla's account of the crash, which the company shared in the days after it happened to show that its advanced driver assistance system wasn't at fault. "This [allegation] makes no sense. FSD drives slowly through neighborhood streets and this was a high speed crash!" Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on X shortly after the crash.
The NTSB said Wednesday that the 44-year-old driver was using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) on Rose Hollow Lane, a residential two-lane road with a speed limit of 30 miles per hour, prior to the crash. Security camera footage obtained by the board showed the car accelerating through an intersection, leaving the road, and hitting the house. Weather was clear, the roadway was dry, and daylight conditions were present, according to the NTSB. Tesla requires that drivers using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) pay attention and be ready to take control at any moment. Butler allegedly told authorities he had "passed out" and was using Tesla's driver assistance system. Police reportedly discovered Google searches including "Tesla FSD not aggressive enough 2026," "Tesla not aggressive enough," and "Tesla FSD too timid," according to local ABC affiliate KTRK TV.
