A B757 IS PUSHED FROM THE GATE WITH THE BRAKES SET RESULTING IN TOWBAR DAMAGE AND CABIN ATTENDANT INJURY.

Narrative

WE WERE AT THE GATE. APU AIR WAS UNAVAILABLE; BUT ELECTRIC PWR FROM THE APU WAS AVAILABLE. IT WAS OPERATING TO PROVIDE ELECTRIC TO ACFT BEFORE START. WE NEEDED GND AIR FOR ENG START. THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT BY ALL TO GET ACFT OUT EARLY DUE TO IMPENDING WX AND LIGHTNING. WE DISCONNECTED FROM GND PWR AND USED APU FOR ELECTRIC. THEN WE WERE CLRED FOR L ENG START. ENG WAS STARTED AND OUTSIDE AIR THEN DISCONNECTED. WE THEN CALLED RAMP FOR PUSH CLRNC AND WERE TOLD WE WERE CLRED TO PUSH; TAIL N. I THEN ADVISED PUSH CREW WE WERE CLRED TO PUSH; TAIL N. HE REPEATED IT BACK TO ME; BUT I DID NOT HEAR RELEASE BRAKES. ACFT WAS THEN PUSHED WITH BRAKES SET. TOWBAR BROKE AND ATTACHMENT TO NOSE GEAR WAS SHEARED. WE RECEIVED QUITE A JOLT ON THE ACFT. I WAS ADVISED 1 FLT ATTENDANT WAS BENDING DOWN AT THE TIME AND RECEIVED A BACK INJURY. AT THIS TIME; THE ARPT WAS IN THE MIDST OF A DOWNPOUR AND LIGHTNING. WE EVENTUALLY GOT A JETWAY TO ACFT TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DEPLANE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 618848: AS I RESPONDED TO THE RAMP TWR THE CAPT INFORMED THE PUSH CREW OF OUR CLRNC; HOWEVER; I DID NOT HEAR THE CONVERSATION BTWN THE CAPT AND PUSH CREW. MY RADIO WAS SET ON #2 RADIO ONLY; ALL OTHER VOLUMES WERE DOWN. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I WAS TALKING TO RAMP TWR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT OR IF I WAS LOOKING OUT MY SIDE OF THE WINDOW; OR USING THE ACARS. ON PUSHBACK; THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT JOLT. WHEN I LOOKED TOWARDS THE CAPT I NOTICED THE PARKING BRAKE WAS SET AND I INFORMED HIM. HE ASKED ME; 'DID THEY JUST TRY TO PUSH WITH THE PARKING BRAKE SET?' IT APPEARED THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE VERY SHAKEN AND ASKED ME TO MAKE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT.