On August 2, 1994, at 0025 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N35790, operated by a private pilot on a personal flight, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at the Aberdeen Regional Airport, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The private pilot and the one passenger reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the night flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Rapid City, South Dakota approximately 2115. The pilot stated he experienced a loss of electrical power while en route to Aberdeen. When the airplane arrived in the vicinity of the Aberdeen Regional Airport, the pilot attempted to establish radio contact without success. He stated he circled the airport several times to obtain wind and runway information, then began an approach to land on Runway 17. The pilot stated it was a dark night. The pilot reported the approach looked good, but when the airplane touched down it suddenly veered to the right and departed the runway. The pilot stated he tried to regain directional control by adding "...full left aileron, full flare to lighten load on right..." The airplane struck a runway light, then veered back to the left. The nosewheel collapsed and the airplane came to rest on the runway. The pilot stated he thought a tire blew on landing, and the passenger reported she heard a "pop" at the time of touchdown. Postaccident investigation revealed although there was damage to the tire and valve stem, there was no evidence of tire blow out. The tire was reported to be in good condition, with slight wear. An FAA Inspector's statement is appended. Maintenance personnel reported when the master switch was activated during postaccident examination, the battery power was sufficient to retract the flaps. The alternator was removed from the airplane and bench tested, with no anomalies noted.