The pilot was flying a visual approach to runway 32, a 2,505-foot long, 50-foot wide, asphalt runway. On final approach, the pilot had the airplane configured with flaps extended 15 degrees, the landing gear extended, manifold pressure 18 inches, and airspeed at 118 mph. About 700 feet from the runway threshold, he extended the flaps to 35 degrees, and decreased the airspeed to 100 mph. The airplane then started to sink, and the pilot added full power; however, the airplane touched down hard in a dirt field about 100 feet prior to the runway threshold. The airplane subsequently sustained substantial damage and came to rest upright, on a grass area off the right side of the runway. The reported wind at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, was from 320 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.