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Boeing Co. failed to sell any commercial planes in January, extending a slump that has strained the company’s finances since two deadly crashes grounded the best-selling 737 Max last year.

Boeing Co. engineers have discovered a new software problem on the grounded 737 Max that must be patched before the plane can return to service, Federal Aviation Administration chief Steve Dickson said.

Boeing, an icon of American manufacturing, suffered its first annual financial loss in more than two decades while the cost of fixing its marquee aircraft after two deadly crashes soared to more than $18 billion.

David Calhoun also said he believes passengers will fly on the Max when federal regulators say it is safe and they see airline pilots getting on the plane.

Boeing is booking a $4.9 billion charge to cover possible compensation to airlines that have canceled thousands of flights since the 737 Max jet was grounded after two deadly accidents, the aircraft manufacturer said July 18.

The extended grounding of Boeing Co.’s 737 Max plane forced Ryanair Holdings to scale back growth plans for next summer, putting the airline industry on notice that the crisis is starting to affect longer-term plans.

Reaping the benefit of a worldwide recovery in air cargo, even amid fears of a global trade war, Boeing on June 20 announced a big order from air package-delivery specialist FedEx Express.

A Boeing 777 made for FedEx Express will be the latest in the aircraft manufacturer’s ecoDemonstrator series of planes designed to test emerging technologies.