The pilot reported that, during the landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, the "pilot side wheel briefly touched down" and then "a wind gust pushed the plane down," which resulted in the nose gear impacting the runway hard. He added that he subsequently heard "a snapping popping bang under my feet" and the airplane bounced back into the air. He further added that, when the airplane settled back to the runway, it skidded to the right off the runway. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, at the accident airport, about the time of the accident, recorded wind 280° at 13 knots. The pilot reported that the landing was on runway 30.