Without their skipper Luke Hodge, who was a late withdrawal with what the club said was a bout of gastro, the flag favourites survived a massive scare, prevailing 13.19 (97) to 14.8 (92).
Having fought back from 22 points down late in the third quarter, the Crows looked a chance to cause the boilover of the season when Graham Johncock put them one point up by slotting a brilliant running goal 20 minutes into the last term.
Adelaide had been gifted another goal a minute earlier when a free kick against Jason Porplyzia for coat-hangering David Hale was reversed after Ryan Schoenmakers flattened Porplyzia in retaliation.
Two late goals from Cyril Rioli and Lance Franklin then gave Hawthorn an 11-point lead, before Taylor Walker dragged the Crows within five points with 16 seconds remaining in the match.
But the Hawks won the final centre clearance to book their first Grand Final appearance since their 2008 premiership win over Geelong.
Midfielders Sam Mitchell (29 possessions) and Brad Sewell (28) led the way for the winners.
Franklin, who had an entertaining battle with Crows backman Ben Rutten, finished with 3.5, while Rioli and Luke Breust both finished with an equally wayward haul of 2.3.
"It's satisfying that we worked hard as a footy club to get ourselves into a Grand Final," Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said after the game.
"That's what you start the season trying to achieve, and our players worked particularly hard across the home and away season to finish as high as they could.
"And preliminary finals are always torrid affairs. Despite everyone speculating on who's going to win, no matter who the opponent, they're always tough games."
In what could prove to be his last game for Adelaide, big man Kurt Tippett produced one of his best performances of the season, dominating his match-up against Schoenmakers.
Tippett finished with four goals and 11 marks, while Taylor Walker also booted four.
Scott Thompson (31 possessions), Patrick Dangerfield (28, 11 in the last quarter) and Jason Porplyzia (26) were the gallant Crows' other key contributors.
However, Adelaide has now lost four preliminary finals (also 2002, 2005 and 2006) since winning the 1998 flag.
"I'm so disappointed for [the players] because they were so close to the ultimate game, but now we've had a taste of it I'm sure it'll burn and it'll hurt for a long time," Crows coach Brenton Sanderson said.
"But we'll come back first day of pre-season and we'll ensure we're a better team next year and we're better prepared.
"I don't think I've seen a group so disappointed and I think it's because we really wanted to shock you.
"No one picked us, no one thought we'd get to this far let alone that point in the game. But we had strong belief within our group that we could win today."
Having gone into the game as odds-on favourite, Hawthorn controlled the early stages everywhere but on the scoreboard.
The Hawks had 20 inside-50s to nine in the opening quarter, yet they trailed by seven points at the first change.
They seemed to have the upper hand in general play once again during the second quarter.
But poor kicking for goal proved costly, as the Crows led by five points at the long break after Walker put through a 55m set shot following the half-time siren.
A desperate bump laid by Jordan Lewis on Brent Reilly allowed Jack Gunston to grab the lead for Hawthorn in the second minute of the third quarter.
That proved to be the spark that ignited the Hawks, and they were never headed from there, although there were many nervous moments for the brown and gold faithful during the last term.
Alastair Clarkson's men will enter the Grand Final as firm favourites, but their record against the Swans this season is mixed.
The Hawks suffered a 37-point loss to the Swans at Aurora Stadium in Launceston in round five, then beat them by seven points at the SCG a month ago.
HAWTHORN 2.6 5.10 11.14 13.19 (97)
ADELAIDE 4.1 7.3 10.4 14.8 (92)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Franklin 3, Breust 2, Gunston 2, Rioli 2, Young, Shiels, Burgoyne, Suckling
Adelaide: Tippett 4, Walker 4, Henderson, Sloane, Smith, van Berlo, Porplyzia, Johncock
BEST
Hawthorn: Sewell, Rioli, Mitchell, Breust, Lewis, Birchall, Franklin, Young
Adelaide: Tippett, Dangerfield, Thompson, Porplyzia, Sloane, Vince, Douglas
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Luke Hodge (illness) replaced in the selected team by Tom Murphy
Adelaide: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Paul Puopolo replaced by Shane Savage at three-quarter time
Adelaide: Jared Petrenko replaced by Graham Johncock in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Nicholls, McInerney
Official crowd: 69, 146 at the MCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
