During an IFR cross-country flight, how should you approach landing if you have rime icing estimated at 1/2" thick on the wings?

In the scenario of flying with rime icing estimated at 1/2" thick on the wings, opting for a faster than normal approach and landing speed is crucial for maintaining control and performance. Icing can significantly degrade an aircraft's lift and increase its stall speed, which means that the aircraft requires a higher speed to remain safely airborne during landing.

Using a faster approach speed helps counteract the loss of lift due to the ice build-up and ensures that you have adequate control authority, especially during the final stages of the approach and landing. This additional margin speeds can help prevent an inadvertent stall, which is a critical consideration when dealing with ice on the wings.

While a normal approach speed could lead to challenges related to reduced lift, and going around without a better plan could result in further complications, the choice to perform a belly landing is unnecessary under normal circumstances and not a standard practice for dealing with icing conditions. Hence, increasing your approach speed becomes the most prudent strategy to enhance safety during the landing phase.