Cannot access AngularJS $http error response data

I'm running a function, and when I enter data correctly it does exactly what I need it to, but when there is invalid data provided I want to return an error message to the user. As you can see in the pic, the request returns the message I want to display but I cannot access it!

My AngularJS controller:

 vm.avpLogic = function(last, avp_id) {
      console.log("Checking AVP Registration");
      alert("Checking AVP Registration");
      registrationDataFactory.checkAVPReg({ last: last, id: avp_id })
      .then(function(response){
        if(!response) {
          console.log(error);
          alert(error);
        }
          console.log(" frontend RESPONSE ");
          console.log(response);
          vm.avp = response;
          vm.addPlayer(vm.registration, vm.avp)
      })
      .catch(function(response){
      // THE RESPONSE COMES BACK HERE FOR INVALID DATA
        console.log(response.body);  // THROWS ERRORS, see pic
        console.log("An error occurred, but we don't know how to log it.", message);
        alert("FAILED AVP CHECK.  Name and ID must match exactly, and they must be active during the rumble.");
        return error;
      });
    }

I've tried logging error, res, response, message and they all come give me an error. If I remove the console.log lines it pops up an alert with the FAILED AVP CHECK message. I want that to be custom, with the message showing in the response window.

Tracing backwards, my data factory console.logs just fine:

function complete(response) {
    console.log("data factory response SUCCESS!");
    return response;
}

function failed(error) {
    console.log("API error response: ", error);
}

When I look in the console, just I see the error object I could access, but can't seem to do.

The part of my NodeJS function sending the error:

   return res.status(422).send({
    message: 'Missing parameters!  Need name and AVP ID'
  }); 

The factory has problems:

ERRONEOUS

 function failed(error) {
    console.log("API error response: ", error);
}

Better

function failed(error) {
    console.log("API error response: ", error);
    //RE-THROW error
    throw error;
}

When a promise error handler fails to re-throw an error, the function returns undefined. This converts the rejected promise to a fulfilled promise with a value of undefined.

For more information, see

• You're Missing the Point of Promises