The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has found that the driver of a Tesla involved in a fatal crash pressed the accelerator pedal to 100% in the six seconds leading up to impact. The crash resulted in the death of 76-year-old Martha Avila and charges of manslaughter against the driver, Daniel Butler.

Security camera footage showed the Tesla continuing straight through an intersection at speeds exceeding 70 mph before striking a residence. Butler's Google searches reportedly indicated dissatisfaction with Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system's aggressiveness. The NTSB's findings appear to support claims made by Tesla CEO Elon Musk that the driver manually overrode the FSD system.

Avila's surviving family has filed a lawsuit against both Butler and Tesla, alleging negligence. While initial police investigations found no mechanical malfunction, the lawsuit suggests a potential defect known as "Sudden Unintended Acceleration" could have caused the vehicle to accelerate rapidly. The NTSB continues to investigate the probable cause and will issue safety recommendations.