GND CREW TUG DRIVER PUSHED ACFT INTO PARKED FUEL TRUCK DAMAGING R WING. TOWBAR BROKE; FLC STOPPED ACFT. FAA AND ARPT AUTH INVESTIGATED.

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THE FOLLOWING INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A ROUTINE PUSHBACK BY A CONTRACT GND HANDLER IN FLL. APPROX 5-10 FT INTO THE PUSHBACK FROM GATE THE FO AND I HEARD AND FELT A 'THUMP; THUMP; THUMP.' (A SOUND SIMILAR TO THE ACFT TAXIING OVER A TXWY CTRLINE LIGHT.) I IMMEDIATELY OBSERVED THAT THE ACFT (DC9) WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE TUG; AND WE WERE SLOWLY DRIFTING BACKWARDS DRAGGING PART OF THE TOWBAR. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE. WE WERE NOW APPROX 10-15 FT BACK FROM THE STARTING POINT. I CALLED THE GND CREW (VIA DIRECT COCKPIT TO GND INTERCOM COM) AND STATED 'THE BRAKES ARE SET; WHAT HAPPENED?' I DID NOT RECEIVE AN IMMEDIATE REPLY; BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS I WAS TOLD; 'I DON'T KNOW; ARE YOUR BRAKES SET?' I REPLIED; AGAIN; 'THE BRAKES ARE SET; WHAT HAPPENED?' IT WAS APPARENT TO THE FO AND MYSELF THAT THE TOWBAR BROKE; BUT WE KNEW OF NOTHING ELSE. AFTER A FEW MORE SECONDS THE GND CREW INFORMED ME THAT THE ACFT R WING HAD STRUCK THE FUEL TRUCK. I LATER OBSERVED THAT THE FUEL TRUCK WAS IN CLEAR VIEW OF THE TUG DRIVER; BUT HE DECIDED TO START PUSHBACK ANYWAY. ALSO; THE R WINGMAN WAS NOT YET IN POS TO ALERT THE TUG DRIVER EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW THE FUEL TRUCK WAS THERE. THE FAA AND ARPT AUTH DID NOT WANT THE ACFT MOVED UNTIL THEY ARRIVED TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE. AFTER APPROX 45-50 MINS WE WERE TOWED BACK TO THE GATE AND THE PAX WERE DEPLANED. NO PAX OR GND CREW INJURIES RESULTED FROM THE INCIDENT. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE R WING BTWN THE FUEL VENT AND LNDG LIGHT SCRAPED OVER THE TOP OF THE PUMPER FUEL TRUCK RESULTING IN MINOR SCRAPES AND DENTS. NO FUEL WAS SPILLED. IT WAS INSPECTED BY COMPANY AND CONTRACT MAINT AND FOUND TO BE AIRWORTHY AND SAFE FOR A FERRY FLT FROM FLL TO DTW. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN AVOIDED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1) GND CREW HASTINESS TO CLR THE AREA PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. 2) INADEQUATE GND CREW TRAINING. 3) USE OF IMPROPER PROCS ON BEHALF OF GND CREW; NOT WAITING FOR WINGMAN TO GET INTO POS PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. 4) YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. POORLY PAID GND PERSONNEL RESULTING IN EMPLOYING LOW QUALITY PERSONNEL WITH POOR MORALE; NO PRIDE; AND NO PROFESSIONALISM.