Sorry if what I wrote didn't make sense. I'm saying that I would NOT trust the expunged thing. The FAA will ask if you've ever been arrested/charged. You then, thinking you were "expunged", say no. I wouldn't bet the rest of my life's career that they don't find a record of it. When they do, you are done forever for lying. If you say yes. They will then ask the outcome of the arrest/charge.
Agreed.
Although, even if the incident were expunged I don't see how a person could answer with a clear conscience, "no" to being arrested when the answer is clearly "yes", when being asked one of those type of questions. Saying no to being charged might be another story if charges were never made, even though you might have been arrested. At least if you say yes to the part that really did happen whomever is questioning can ask for clarification, at which point you can state what happened. Maybe it will show up in a background check and maybe it won't, but telling them first then having them find it is far better than not telling them and having them uncover something.
Regardless of career choice I think this would be a good situation to try and get out of with the least amount of damage to one's record. Something like this could come back to haunt you years later when you least expect it.