Narrative:

Approach slowed us repeatedly and finally to 140 KTS on 10-15 mi final to runway 24R following a heavy B767. The captain was the PF. We were configured and stable well above 1000 ft. We broke out around 700 ft with the runway in sight; and no sign of the B767. Flight conditions were perfectly smooth. The captain disconnected the automatic thrust around 500 ft. I don't remember anything abnormal until we were around 100 ft above the runway. We encountered slight turbulence; and the captain leveled the wings. In the last few seconds; the sink rate increased dramatically; and we hit hard. It was not apparent that we had hit the tail; but we both agreed that maintenance needed to inspect the aircraft. I called maintenance on the taxi in to request that they meet us for a hard landing inspection. On inspection; the tail had scraped the runway. Due to the light winds/fog conditions; I believe we encountered wake turbulence from the B767 heavy ahead. While the captain tried to arrest the sink rate; the wake turbulence was too severe and we were too low to recover. While we did discuss that we were flying a 321 and exercise caution for a tail strike during the approach brief; we could have discussed possible wake turbulence when we discovered that we were following a 767 heavy. This happened so quickly; we were both looking outside alarmed at the sink rate; so there was no time for a pm pitch call. I believe this should be an automated call; similar to 'retard.' I also think this airplane needs a tailskid to prevent damage. Maybe this flight data could be programmed into the simulator for a training event. In reviewing our ph and fom landing sections; I could not find any criteria or guidance for dealing with approach behind a heavy or encountering wake turbulence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A321 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB ON SHORT FINAL. UNABLE TO ARREST THE INCREASED SINK RATE; A HARD LNDG RESULTED.

Narrative: APPROACH SLOWED US REPEATEDLY AND FINALLY TO 140 KTS ON 10-15 MI FINAL TO RWY 24R FOLLOWING A HEAVY B767. THE CAPTAIN WAS THE PF. WE WERE CONFIGURED AND STABLE WELL ABOVE 1000 FT. WE BROKE OUT AROUND 700 FT WITH THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT; AND NO SIGN OF THE B767. FLIGHT CONDITIONS WERE PERFECTLY SMOOTH. THE CAPTAIN DISCONNECTED THE AUTO THRUST AROUND 500 FT. I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ABNORMAL UNTIL WE WERE AROUND 100 FT ABOVE THE RUNWAY. WE ENCOUNTERED SLIGHT TURBULENCE; AND THE CAPTAIN LEVELED THE WINGS. IN THE LAST FEW SECONDS; THE SINK RATE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY; AND WE HIT HARD. IT WAS NOT APPARENT THAT WE HAD HIT THE TAIL; BUT WE BOTH AGREED THAT MAINTENANCE NEEDED TO INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT. I CALLED MAINT ON THE TAXI IN TO REQUEST THAT THEY MEET US FOR A HARD LANDING INSPECTION. ON INSPECTION; THE TAIL HAD SCRAPED THE RUNWAY. DUE TO THE LIGHT WINDS/FOG CONDITIONS; I BELIEVE WE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE B767 HEAVY AHEAD. WHILE THE CAPTAIN TRIED TO ARREST THE SINK RATE; THE WAKE TURBULENCE WAS TOO SEVERE AND WE WERE TOO LOW TO RECOVER. WHILE WE DID DISCUSS THAT WE WERE FLYING A 321 AND EXERCISE CAUTION FOR A TAIL STRIKE DURING THE APPROACH BRIEF; WE COULD HAVE DISCUSSED POSSIBLE WAKE TURBULENCE WHEN WE DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING A 767 HEAVY. THIS HAPPENED SO QUICKLY; WE WERE BOTH LOOKING OUTSIDE ALARMED AT THE SINK RATE; SO THERE WAS NO TIME FOR A PM PITCH CALL. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE AN AUTOMATED CALL; SIMILAR TO 'RETARD.' I ALSO THINK THIS AIRPLANE NEEDS A TAILSKID TO PREVENT DAMAGE. MAYBE THIS FLIGHT DATA COULD BE PROGRAMMED INTO THE SIMULATOR FOR A TRAINING EVENT. IN REVIEWING OUR PH AND FOM LANDING SECTIONS; I COULD NOT FIND ANY CRITERIA OR GUIDANCE FOR DEALING WITH APPROACH BEHIND A HEAVY OR ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.