Narrative:

We were at the gate. APU air was unavailable, but electric power from the APU was available. It was operating to provide electric to aircraft before start. We needed ground air for engine start. There was an attempt by all to get aircraft out early due to impending WX and lightning. We disconnected from ground power and used APU for electric. Then we were cleared for left engine start. Engine was started and outside air then disconnected. We then called ramp for push clearance and were told we were cleared to push, tail north. I then advised push crew we were cleared to push, tail north. He repeated it back to me, but I did not hear release brakes. Aircraft was then pushed with brakes set. Towbar broke and attachment to nose gear was sheared. We received quite a jolt on the aircraft. I was advised 1 flight attendant was bending down at the time and received a back injury. At this time, the airport was in the midst of a downpour and lightning. We eventually got a jetway to aircraft to allow people to deplane. Supplemental information from acn 618848: as I responded to the ramp tower the captain informed the push crew of our clearance, however, I did not hear the conversation between the captain 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 tower at the time of the incident or if I was looking out my side of the window, or using the ACARS. On pushback, the aircraft experienced a violent jolt. When I looked towards the captain 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 flight attendants were very shaken and asked me to make a PA announcement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 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.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.