On July 5, 2004, about 1700 central daylight time, a Cessna 182N, N92422, piloted by a private pilot was substantially damaged when the nose landing gear collapsed during a hard landing on runway 9 at a private airstrip near Lancaster, Wisconsin. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight originated from the accident airstrip about 1600 and the intended destination was Kenosha, Wisconsin. In a written report, the pilot stated that he departed his private airstrip bound for Kenosha. He stated that he contacted flight watch and determined that the weather conditions at Kenosha were not acceptable. He reversed course and returned to his private airstrip. He stated that while on short-final for landing he encountered a severe downdraft which resulted in a hard landing. During the landing, the nose landing gear failed. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies in his written report. The pilot listed the winds as 100 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots.