TAIL STRIKE ON LNDG.

Narrative

FOLLOWING AN UNEVENTFUL VISUAL APCH IN VMC TO NASHVILLE ARPT; RWY 2R; THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL PITCH ATTITUDE; STRIKING THE TAIL ON THE RWY CAUSING SUFFICIENT DAMAGE TO REMOVE THE ACFT FROM SVC UNTIL REPAIRS COULD BE MADE. REVIEW OF FLT DATA RECORDER INDICATED AIRSPD; SINK RATE; GLIDE PATH WERE ALL NOMINAL. WHILE PULLING BACK ON CTL COLUMN TO FLARE FOR TOUCHDOWN AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL; I EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ELEVATOR AUTH. FURTHER AFT MOVEMENT RESULTED IN A HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A HARD TOUCHDOWN AND TAIL STRIKE. ROLLOUT; DECELERATION AND TAXI WERE NORMAL. NO OTHER SYS MALFUNCTIONS OCCURRED; NO PAX COMPLAINTS OF INJURY WERE RPTED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 271038: AS THE CAPT BEGAN THE FLARE TO BREAK THE SINK; THE AIRPLANE ATTITUDE ROTATED TO WHAT APPEARED TO BE A HIGHER THAN NORMAL NOSE- UP ATTITUDE; AND TOUCHED DOWN WITH WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE A HARD LNDG. A FLT CALLED THAT HE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD 'GOTTEN THE TAIL.' MAINT PERSONNEL INFORMED THE CAPT THAT THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE HAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE RWY. AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS PARKED AT THE GATE; I CHKED THE STABILIZER TRIM INDICATOR; AND IT WAS SHOWING 8.5 UNITS NOSE UP.