B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related
On approach to Runway 26R we were assigned 170 kts to AJAAY. We were behind a Boeing 767 and were closing on him. We started to get into his wake turbulence. At about two and a half miles behind the Boeing 767 we started to slow. As a result; we began to slow before AJAAY. I should have told Tower we needed to slow due to spacing and wake turbulence.
Assigned 170 knots to AJAAY. Visual 26R. Behind Heavy B767; wind straight off nose; distance decreasing to aircraft ahead.  Configured and slowed prior to AJAAY to maintain spacing and wake turbulence avoidance.
B737-700 Captain reported slowing too early on approach to ATL in his efforts to avoid wake turbulence in trail of a B767.