Tesla driver overrides FSD, kills woman in Texas crash

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) preliminary report released Wednesday confirmed that the Tesla Model 3 involved in the fatal crash in Katy, Texas, was traveling at speeds exceeding 70 mph at the time of impact. Investigators found that the driver, 44‑year‑old Michael Butler, had manually overridden the vehicle’s Full Self‑Driving (FSD) system by pressing the accelerator to 100 percent, a move that caused the car to accelerate beyond the 30 mph speed limit on the two‑lane road where the incident occurred.

The crash, which took place in June, saw Butler’s vehicle plow into a home, killing 76‑year‑old Martha Avila inside. The NTSB’s analysis of the car’s electronic data indicates that the driver’s override directly contributed to the vehicle’s excessive speed, leading to the fatal impact. The report also noted that the vehicle’s FSD system was engaged at the time of the crash, but the driver’s actions disabled its safety interventions.

The NTSB will continue its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and the role of Tesla’s autonomous driving features. The agency’s findings underscore the importance of driver attention and the potential risks associated with manual overrides of advanced driver‑assist systems.