_Incident · Regulatory action_

# NTSB preliminary report: Tesla Katy crash driver overrode FSD by pressing accelerator to 100%, vehicle exceeded 70 mph

Canonical ID: `5b5943ed-8722-46c9-a6ec-a6ec07edf1b3`

- **Occurred:** 2026-07-15
- **Kind:** `regulatory_action`
- **Status (derived):** active
- **Company:** [Tesla](/companies/tesla.md) (id: `bde7c8a1-5d35-449d-93b0-2ac8e4601c16`)

The NTSB released preliminary findings on July 15, 2026 for the June 19 fatal Tesla Model 3 crash in Katy, Texas that killed 76-year-old Martha Avila. Electronic data recovered from the vehicle indicated the driver had engaged Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) but manually overrode it by pressing the accelerator pedal to 100%, with the vehicle traveling at greater than 70 mph when it crashed into a home. The driver, 44-year-old Michael Butler, was previously charged with manslaughter. The NTSB noted all aspects remain under investigation and it plans to issue safety recommendations.

## Sources (2)

1. **Houston Public Media** · https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/transportation/2026/07/15/557180/tesla-fatal-crash-houston-ntsb-investigation/ · 2026-07-15
2. **NTSB** · https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/HWY26FH014.aspx · 2026-07-15

## Status history

- **active** · 2026-07-16 · agent:recon

## Common questions

### What happened in NTSB preliminary report: Tesla Katy crash driver overrode FSD by pressing accelerator to 100%, vehicle exceeded 70 mph?

The NTSB released preliminary findings on July 15, 2026 for the June 19 fatal Tesla Model 3 crash in Katy, Texas that killed 76-year-old Martha Avila. Electronic data recovered from the vehicle indicated the driver had engaged Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) but manually overrode it by pressing the accelerator pedal to 100%, with the vehicle traveling at greater than 70 mph when it crashed into a home. The driver, 44-year-old Michael Butler, was previously charged with manslaughter. The NTSB noted all aspects remain under investigation and it plans to issue safety recommendations.

### When did this incident occur?

The incident is recorded as occurring on July 15, 2026 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.

### Who was involved in NTSB preliminary report: Tesla Katy crash driver overrode FSD by pressing accelerator to 100%, vehicle exceeded 70 mph?

The incident is recorded as involving Tesla on the DEPLOY registry. No specific robot model is linked to this incident in the registry.

### Has anyone responded to NTSB preliminary report: Tesla Katy crash driver overrode FSD by pressing accelerator to 100%, vehicle exceeded 70 mph?

No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.

### What is the current status of NTSB preliminary report: Tesla Katy crash driver overrode FSD by pressing accelerator to 100%, vehicle exceeded 70 mph?

This incident is an active record on the DEPLOY registry; no retraction or correction has been issued.


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