EMB-120RT ACFT IN DSCNT EXPERIENCED SHARP YAW TO THE L WITH L WING LOW. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE L ENG COWLING HAD PEELED UP AND BACK. FLC DECLARED EMER AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. POSTFLT REVEALED A METAL ROD STUCK IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE L WING; PROBABLY THE LATCHING ROD FOR THE COWLING.

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ON THE FIRST LEG TO DFW WE EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRONIC ENG CTL FAILURE IN THE L ENG. WE RESET THE SYS USING OUR PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK. WE HAD A 3 HR 45 MIN BREAK IN DFW WHERE THEY WORKED ON THE L ELECTRONIC ENG CTL. THE NEXT 3 LEGS HAVE ALL ABOUT 10-15 MIN TURN TIMES SO I; MYSELF; PERFORMED THE WALKAROUND INLET AND MEI. DURING OUR DSCNT INTO ATL (OR THE LA GRANGE ARR) WE FELT A SUDDEN JOLT. THE ACFT YAWED SHARPLY TO THE L WITH THE L WING LOW. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND BROUGHT THE ACFT BACK ON COURSE AND ALT. I NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE CTL COLUMN AND IN THE L PWR LEVER. AT THAT TIME THE FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND INFORMED US THAT THE L ENG COWLING WAS STICKING STRAIGHT UP. I LOOKED OUT OF MY L WINDOW AND CONFIRMED THE COWLING WAS NOT ONLY UP; BUT IT WAS ALSO FOLDED AND THE REST OF THE COWLINGS APPEARED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND I FEARED WE WOULD POSSIBLY LOSE THE ENTIRE COWLINGS ON THE L ENG. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANT TO PREPARE THE CABIN FOR AN EMER LNDG. WE ELECTED TO LAND WITH FLAPS 25 DEGS AND AT 140 KTS REF SPD. AFTER LNDG; THE FIRE TRUCKS INSPECTED THE L ENG AND FOUND NO LEAKING FUEL AND HYD LINES. WE TAXIED TO OUR GATE. DURING POSTFLT INSPECTION; FOUND A METAL ROD STUCK IN LEADING EDGE OF L WING AND FOUND ALL COWLING LATCHES CLOSED. NO FEATHERS WERE FOUND SO A BIRD STRIKE WAS RULED OUT. NO DAMAGE TO PROP.