The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation into a fatal accident in Katy, Texas, where a Tesla driver crashed into a home, resulting in the death of 76-year-old Martha Avila. The driver, Michael Butler, allegedly used Tesla's Autopilot before the crash, which has led to lawsuits claiming negligence against both him and Tesla. Tesla contends the vehicle's accelerator was fully engaged, overriding the Autopilot feature, pushing the car's speed to 73 mph before impact. Both NTSB and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will analyze data from the car's onboard systems to determine the sequence of events leading to the crash.

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In Brief

Posted:

9:39 AM PDT · June 24, 2026

white Tesla Image Credits: CFOTO/Future Publishing / Getty Images

Sean O'Kane

NTSB launches probe into fatal Texas Tesla crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into a crash that happened over the weekend in Texas, in which a driver slammed into a home in Katy, Texas, killing a resident.

The family of that victim, 76-year-old Martha Avila, has also filed a lawsuit against the driver, Michael Butler, and Tesla, alleging negligence.

The NTSB joins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in investigating the crash. While Butler allegedly told local authorities that he was using Tesla’s Autopilot feature before the crash, the company has since said it has data showing that Butler’s accelerator pedal was pressed to the floor. This “overrode” what was more likely the Full Self-Driving software on his car, pushing his speed to 73 miles per hour before he hit the house, according to Tesla.

Tesla has not provided more proof beyond those statements, though. The NTSB and NHTSA investigations will likely require the company to turn over logs created by the car’s onboard computers that will ultimately reveal how exactly the crash happened.

Topics

advanced driver assistance systems, electric vehicles, EVs, full self-driving, In Brief, Tesla, Transportation

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