NTSB confirms Tesla driver in fatal Texas crash pressed accelerator 100%
Image: Primary The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that the driver of a Tesla involved in a fatal crash in Katy, Texas, pressed the accelerator pedal to 100 percent before the collision, the agency said in a preliminary report.
The crash occurred in June and killed 76-year-old Martha Avila when the vehicle struck her house at over 113 kilometers per hour. The NTSB said the driver, 44-year-old Michael Butler, was using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) on a residential road with a 48 kilometer per hour speed limit.
Security camera footage showed the car speeding through an intersection, leaving the road and hitting the house. The NTSB noted weather was clear, the roadway was dry and daylight conditions were present. The agency said its preliminary report confirms Tesla's version of events released shortly after the incident.
Butler has been charged with manslaughter. Avila's family has filed a lawsuit against Butler and Tesla alleging negligence. Police said Butler told authorities he had passed out while using the driver assistance system.
Investigators found Google searches on his device including terms such as "Tesla FSD not aggressive enough 2026" and "Tesla FSD too timid." The NTSB and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are continuing to investigate.
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